Portnow stepped down from his position in 2019
Neil Portnow is being accused of sexual battery, according to The New York Times.
The outlet reported on Wednesday that Portnow was sued by a woman who accused him of drugging and raping her in a New York hotel room in 2018. Portnow has denied the claims.
Portnow stepped down from his position in 2019 following a controversial male-dominated Grammy Awards in 2018. The former CEO received backlash after saying that women in music need to “step up” if they want more Grammy Awards.
He then apologized for his comments and said he remained "committed to doing everything I can to make our music community a better, safer, and more representative place for everyone.”
While the suit does reveal the identity of the accuser, she is described as an "instrumentalist from outside the United States who once performed at Carnegie Hall."
"Neil Portnow gives lip service to women as standing up. But he does a disservice to every woman and every musician who is being oppressed by him and others," the plaintiff's lawyer, Jeffrey R. Anderson, said in a statement to the outlet. "This is not just about Neil Portnow and not just about the Recording Academy, but about the culture in the music and entertainment industry and its doublespeak about rape and abuse.”
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