Fox News Settles Sexual Harassment Claim Against Bill O’Reilly, Jack Abernethy

Both men deny all charges, and Fox News disputes details of a letter obtained by LawNewz

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Fox News Channel reached a settlement last year with former on-air host Juliet Huddy, who complained of sexual harassment against the network’s biggest star, Bill O’Reilly, and co-president Jack Abernethy, TheWrap has learned.

The legal website LawNewz reported Monday that it obtained “a draft of the intent to sue letter which was sent or handed to Fox News” that named both men and accused them of sexual harassment.

Citing sources, LawNewz reported that “the amount paid out was in the high six figures” and O’Reilly and Abernethy will not pay anything out of their own pockets. The settlement was agreed upon several weeks ago but only unearthed by LawNewz on Monday.

A spokesperson for Fox News confirmed the existence of the letter but told TheWrap, “The letter contains substantial falsehoods and we won’t otherwise comment on this matter.”

Abernethy and O’Reilly strongly denied all of the charges made against them by Huddy from the start, according to the legal website.

Fox News signed Abernethy to a multiyear deal shortly after the ouster of longtime CEO Roger Ailes, who stepped down last year amid his own sexual harassment allegations.

Huddy’s father, John Huddy Sr., was a former right-hand man of Ailes who was fired by Fox News shortly after Ailes stepped down and weeks before his daughter made her allegations.

The Huddy family is extremely close with Ailes, and Juliet Huddy left the network only one day after Fox settled with Gretchen Carlson, the former host who initially brought harassment claims against Ailes.

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