Five Women Reportedly Received $13M for Bill O’Reilly Harassment Claims From O’Reilly, Fox

“21st Century Fox Takes Matters of Workplace Behavior Very Seriously”

Five women alleging Bill O’Reilly harassed them, sexually or otherwise, have received about $13 million in payouts in exchange for not pursuing litigation or discussing the allegations against the Fox News host, The New York Times reported today.

The payouts were reportedly received from 2002 to as late as last year, made to women who either worked for Bill O’Reilly or appeared on his show. The funds came from either O’Reilly himself or Fox News’ parent company, 21st Century Fox.

The reporting found that the allegations included verbal abuse and lewd comments, both on-air and off, as well as unsolicited phone calls that were sexual in nature.

“As an influential figure in the newsroom, Mr. O’Reilly would create a bond with some women by offering advice and promising to help them professionally,” The Times’ report reads. “He then would pursue sexual relationships with them, causing some to fear that if they rebuffed him, their careers would stall.”

Fox News, which is still combatting fallout from the resignation of its disgraced founding CEO Roger Ailes after up to 20 women accused him of sexual assault, declined to discuss specific allegations against O’Reilly. In a written statement to The Times, however, they acknowledged that the issued had been addressed.

“21st Century Fox takes matters of workplace behavior very seriously,” the statement read. “Notwithstanding the fact that no current or former Fox News employee ever took advantage of the 21st Century Fox hotline to raise a concern about Bill O’Reilly, even anonymously, we have looked into these matters over the last few months and discussed them with Mr. O’Reilly. While he denies the merits of these claims, Mr. O’Reilly has resolved those he regarded as his personal responsibility. Mr. O’Reilly is fully committed to supporting our efforts to improve the environment for all our employees at Fox News.”

O’Reilly also responded to The Times, although via a statement sent from Mark Fabiani, the crisis communications expert he hired. “Just like other prominent and controversial people, I’m vulnerable to lawsuits from individuals who want me to pay them to avoid negative publicity,” the statement read.

“In my more than 20 years at Fox News Channel, no one has ever filed a complaint about me with the Human Resources Department, even on the anonymous hotline,” it continued, as if to suggest that all reports of harassment are reported. “The worst part of my job is being a target for those who would harm me and my employer, the Fox News Channel. Those of us in the arena are constantly at risk, as are our families and children. My primary efforts will continue to be to put forth an honest TV program and to protect those close to me.”

Frederic S. Newman, O’Reilly’s attorney, issued a statement Friday in response to the report, saying, “we are now seriously considering legal action to defend Mr. O’Reilly’s reputation.”