Scott Sassa has resigned as Hearst's entertainment and syndication president after what the New York Post describes as a sexting scandal involving a stripper.
Hearst confirms to TheWrap that Sassa, whose recent successes including executive producing the hit miniseries "The Bible" for History, has resigned. Sassa did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Post reported late Wednesday that Sassa, 53, who has worked for Fox, NBC, Friendster and Marvel Entertainment, was asked to resign after the stripper's boyfriend e-mailed sexts between the stripper and Sassa to Hearst executives including CEO Frank Bennack Jr.
The paper said the stripper and boyfriend had attempted to blackmail him over messages Sasso exchanged with her.
The Post cited a source who said Hearst was preparing to give him a “large compensation package for him to go away for a long time.”
A Hearst spokesman said the company would not comment on personnel matters.
Sassa's group manages Hearst’s interests in ESPN and Lifetime, among others. He was named president of entertainment and syndication in December 2008.
Before joining Hearst, he served as founder and CEO of Uber, a consumer Internet start-up. he also served as president and CEO of Friendster.
From 1997 to 2004, Sassa was an executive at NBC. He first served as president of the NBC Television Studios division, then then as president of NBC entertainment, and finally as president of NBC West Coast.
Before joining NBC, he served as president and COO of Andrews Group, a unit of MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings, and as CEO of Marvel Entertainment. He also spent nine years at Turner Broadcasting System, rising to president of Turner Entertainment Group. He worked for Fox prior to Turner from 1986-87.
