A female musician sued former Grammy Awards CEO Neil Portnow, accusing him of sexual assault dating back to 2018, the New York Post reported.
The woman is described as an internationally famous musician who played at Carnegie Hall, but has not been named at this time, according to The New York Post. Court documents accusing Portnow of assault were reportedly filed in the Supreme Court in Manhattan under the Adult Survivors Act on Wednesday. She has also reportedly accused the Recording Academy of negligence in this matter.
The suit accuses Neil Portnow, who stepped down as chief executive of the Recording Academy in 2019, of sexual battery, and accuses the Recording Academy — the nonprofit group behind the Grammys — of negligence. https://t.co/Rdn6HGMlwT
— New York Times Music (@nytimesmusic) November 9, 2023
The act temporarily enables victims of sexual assault to come forward with their allegations past the state’s usual deadlines, the outlet noted.
The woman alleged Portnow gave her a drink during an interview she had scheduled with him at his hotel in New York City in 2018. She claimed the drink caused her to intermittently lose consciousness, during which time she alleged he proceeded to assault her, according to the New York Post.
A spokesperson for Portnow issued a statement calling the accusations against him “completely false.” The representative said the woman was “undoubtedly motivated by Mr. Portnow’s refusal to comply with the Plaintiff’s outrageous demands for money and assistance in obtaining a residence visa for her,” according to to The New York Post. (RELATED: Russell Brand’s Accuser Shares Letter Written After Alleged Assault)
The woman said she notified the Academy about her grievances and made them aware of her allegations.
A female artist is suing former Grammy Awards chairman and CEO, Neil Portnow, accusing him of raping & drugging her in a New York hotel room in 2018.
The Recording Academy is also being accused of negligence, saying that the organization failed to properly investigate the case. pic.twitter.com/WXaZaU9YfR
— Pop Base (@PopBase) November 8, 2023
The Academy released a statement saying, “We continue to believe the claims to be without merit and intend to vigorously defend the Academy in this lawsuit,” the NY Post noted.
Portnow served as the President and CEO of the Recording Academy until 2019, at which time he resigned from his position. The allegations first came to light in 2020, after Portnow had stepped down.