Fox News has reached a $2.5 million settlement for a lawsuit filed by a former contributor who said she was sexually assaulted by an executive at the network, The New York Times reported Wednesday night.
According to legal documents, Tamara N. Holder claimed that former Fox News Latino VP Francisco Cortes tried to force her to perform oral sex on him in February 2015 when the two were alone in his office, however she was too afraid to report the incident to police for fear of losing her job.
She informed Fox News of the attack last fall, and Cortes was then terminated. Meanwhile, Holder left the company when her contract expired on Jan. 1, 2017.
Fox News and Holder released a joint statement regarding the matter on Wednesday that read:
“Immediately after Ms. Holder notified Fox News of the alleged incident, the company promptly investigated the matter and took decisive action, for which Ms. Holder thanks the network. Fox News is grateful to Ms. Holder for her many contributions during her tenure at the network and wishes her continued success.”
According to the Times, Holder also sent an email stating: said: “Yes, I was sexually assaulted. Immediately after I told the company where I worked about the incident, it promptly investigated the matter and took action, which I appreciate.”
The case comes in the wake of former chairman and chief executive Roger Ailes’ departure from Fox News last year following sexual harassment claims brought against him by on-air host Gretchen Carlson and a number of other women.
Fox News has since settled with several of the accusers, including a $20 million lawsuit with Carlson.