Neil Portnow, former Grammy Awards head, has been accused of sexual assault in a lawsuit filed in New York. The lawsuit alleges that Portnow drugged and raped a woman in a hotel room in 2018. Portnow denies the allegations. The lawsuit also accuses the Recording Academy of negligence. Herb Scribner reported
Former Grammy Awards head Neil Portnow has been accused of sexual assault in a lawsuit filed in New York on Wednesday. The lawsuit, which names Portnow and the Recording Academy, alleges that Portnow drugged and raped a woman identified as Jane Doe in a hotel room in 2018 after meeting for an interview. The plaintiff’s attorneys did not respond to a request for comment, while Portnow has denied the allegations.
Portnow served as the president of the Recording Academy from 2002 until 2019 when he resigned amidst controversy for stating that women needed to “step up” if they wanted more representation. A spokesperson for Portnow stated that the allegations in the lawsuit are false and a product of the plaintiff’s imagination. The spokesperson further claimed that the allegations were motivated by the plaintiff’s outrageous demands for money and assistance in obtaining a residence visa. They also expressed confidence that Portnow will prevail in the case.
The lawsuit also accuses the Recording Academy of negligence for not monitoring Portnow or investigating a complaint filed by the plaintiff in October 2018. The academy released a statement asserting that they believe the claims to be without merit and intend to vigorously defend themselves in the lawsuit.
According to the lawsuit, the plaintiff, an internationally acclaimed musician and former academy member, met with Portnow in New York in June 2018 for an interview. She alleges that after going to a hotel room with him, Portnow gave her a glass of wine spiked with drugs and sexually assaulted her. The woman claims to have reached out to the Recording Academy about the incident and attempted to file a police report. The allegations became public in 2020 through a complaint made by Portnow’s successor, Deborah Dugan, to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Portnow denied the rape allegations in a statement to Variety, calling them ludicrous and untrue. He stated that an independent investigation conducted by experienced lawyers exonerated him and found no basis for the allegations.
The timing of the lawsuit is notable as it comes just days before the Grammys are set to announce the nominees for the 2024 award show..