Former CBS CEO Leslie Moonves agreed to pay a fine of $11,250 to resolve a Los Angeles City Ethics Commission complaint that accused him of interfering with a police investigation and inducing a government official to violate laws.
The incident dates back to November 2017, when former Los Angeles Police Cmdr. Cory Palka began working with Moonves and other CBS executives to supposedly bury an LAPD complaint filed by a woman who had accused Moonves of sexual assault in the 1980s.
At the time, Moonves was known as the most powerful executive in the television industry. He had presided over CBS for more than two decades, the architect of the network's dramatic turnaround.
Palka, who has since retired, was then chief of the Los Angeles Police Department's Hollywood station. He had known Moonves for almost a decade because he had been part of Moonves' security team for the Grammy Awards for several years.
Moonves' illustrious career soon collapsed amid a growing sex scandal that came to light as part of the #MeToo movement. Moonves, who resigned from CBS in September 2018, denied harassing or assaulting women.
His unraveling began on November 10, 2017, when a former colleague, Phyllis Golden-Gottlieb, was inspired to speak out about her allegations of past dealings with Moonves. She drove to the Hollywood police station to file a complaint against Moonves. Later that night, Palka called CBS officials and alerted them to the existence of the Golden-Gottlieb report.
Over the next few weeks, Palka, Moonves, and one of Moonves' subordinates discussed strategies to thwart the Golden-Gottlieb report and worked to ensure that it did not gain traction within the Police Department or the Los County district attorney's office. Angeles, according to records in the case, which came to light in late 2022 as part of a report by the New York Prosecutor. General Leticia James.
James had accused Moonves and CBS of misleading investors about the extent of sexual harassment discovered at CBS, information that hurt the company's stock.
The revelations sent shockwaves through the Los Angeles Police Department and sparked several investigations into the alleged activities of Moonves and Palka.
LAPD Chief Michel Moore launched an investigation into the matter in November 2022. Last fall, the Police Department said it had completed its internal investigation, but declined to detail its findings, citing state laws that provide confidentiality to the former officers.
A representative for Moonves declined to comment late Friday. Moonves' attorneys could not immediately be reached for comment.
The former CBS chief was charged with three violations of the city's Government Ethics Ordinance, which governs the conduct of city employees and prohibits them from misusing or disclosing confidential information acquired through their work.
Under the terms of the proposed settlement, Moonves has acknowledged that he violated city laws by “aiding and abetting the disclosure and misuse of confidential information.”
He also admitted to inducing “a city official to misuse his position to attempt to create a private advantage for Moonves.”
Ethics Commission investigators cited Moonves' request to Palka, which was made through Moonves' former subordinate, Ian Metrose, to “provide information regarding the LAPD's investigation into Gottlieb's complaint, thereby aiding and abetting Palka.” in the disclosure of confidential information,” according to the settlement. The three men met in person to discuss Golden-Gottlieb's confidential complaint and ways to soften it.
The ethics complaint also accused Moonves of violating city ordinance by inducing Palka to “create for Moonves the private benefits of access to confidential information from an LAPD investigation.”
Each count carried a maximum penalty of $5,000, or $15,000 for all three counts. As part of the settlement, Moonves agreed to provide a cashier's check for $11,250 earlier this week. The Ethics Commission is scheduled to hear the matter at its meeting next week.
Times staff writer Richard Winton contributed to this report.
