Dan Snyder timeline: NFL approves sale to Josh Harris, fines Snyder $60M (2024)

Content warning: This story contains details about alleged sexual harassment, misconduct and other inappropriate behavior. The content may be difficult to read and emotionally upsetting.

Dan Snyder is no longer the owner of the Washington Commanders, officially selling the team to Josh Harris after approval from NFL owners July 20 in Bloomington, Minn.

Snyder and the team were subjects of an NFL-led investigation into sexual harassment and workplace misconduct for the second time in two years. Allegations against the team and Snyder, who bought the franchise in 1999, have come from at least 50 former employees — many of whom spoke out publicly — and implicated at least 11 members or former members of the organization over a span of 18 years.

The allegation that spurred the latest investigation was made specifically against Snyder after former employee Tiffani Johnston accused him of inappropriately touching and harassing her at a work dinner.

Minutes after the approval of the sale, the NFL released the results of that investigation — which largely corroborated the allegations — and fined Snyder $60 million.

Mary Jo White report summary and conclusion: pic.twitter.com/FfAF05XBll

— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) July 20, 2023

This evolving, complicated situation can be difficult to track. To understand how things got where they are, check out the below timeline, which will be updated as new information emerges. The latest developments are listed first.

Aug. 16, 2023: Raskin wants DOJ to investigate, consider prosecuting Snyder

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the ranking Democrat on the U.S. House Oversight Committee, called on chairman Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) to refer former Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder’s case to the Department of Justice for investigation and possible prosecution for lying under oath and obstructing the committee, according to a letter obtained by the Washington Post.

Raskin, whose party led the committee’s investigation into Snyder starting in October 2021, cited the findings of Mary Jo White’s NFL-commissioned probe as evidence that Snyder lied to the committee and attempted to obstruct its investigation during his private deposition in July 2022. White’s report was released last month, minutes after the league approved Snyder’s sale of the team to new owner Josh Harris, and Snyder was fined $60 million after allegations against him were largely corroborated.

“Mr. Snyder’s testimony to the Committee suggests a deliberate effort to provide false testimony in an effort to obstruct a Congressional investigation,” Raskin wrote in the letter.

The committee concluded its investigation and revealed its findings in December, one month after the Republicans reclaimed a majority in the House of Representatives during the mid-term elections. Republican committee members had often criticized the Democrat-led investigation and said they would end it after taking over the committee in January.

July 20, 2023: Sale approved, Snyder fined $60 million

NFL owners unanimously approved Josh Harris’ purchase of the Washington Commanders from Dan Snyder for a record-breaking $6.05 billion, ending Snyder’s sordid and largely unsuccessful 24-year reign that featured more team names (three) than playoff wins (two).

Harris, also the owner of the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and NHL’s New Jersey Devils and a general partner with the Premier League’s Crystal Palace, heads a group of approximately 20 limited partners, including D.C.-area billionaire Mitchell Rales and basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson.

The vote was a formality after the league’s finance committee had approved the sale, which was first reached in April and officially signed in May.

Shortly after the approval of the sale, the league released the findings of Mary Jo White’s investigation into allegations against Snyder, which largely corroborated the allegations. The NFL fined Snyder $60 million, just under 1 percent of the sale price and 10 times the amount he was fined in July 2021 after the Beth Wilkinson investigation into workplace misconduct.

“The conduct substantiated in Ms. White’s findings has no place in the NFL,” commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “We strive for workplaces that are safe, respectful and professional. What Ms. Johnston experienced is inappropriate and contrary to the NFL’s values.”

The report said that Snyder and the team, despite pledging publicly they would cooperate with the investigation, did not do so.

“Mr. Snyder, for nearly a year, refused to be interviewed and, when he did finally agree to an interview, he declared that it would be limited to one hour. … Similarly, the Club refused, for many months, to search for and produce critical documents,” the report stated.

May 12, 2023: Snyder, Harris make sale agreement official

Dan and Tanya Snyder announced they have entered into a purchase and sale agreement to sell the Washington Commanders to a group led by Josh Harris. The agreement, which is for $6.05 billion, had been reported last month but had not been signed and was not exclusive.

“We are very pleased to have reached an agreement for the sale of the Commanders franchise with Josh Harris, an area native, and his impressive group of partners,” Tanya and Dan Snyder said in a news release. “We look forward to the prompt completion of this transaction and to rooting for Josh and the team in the coming years.”

“On behalf of our entire ownership group — including Mitch Rales, my longtime sports business partner David Blitzer and Earvin Magic Johnson — I want to express how excited we are to be considered by the NFL to be the next owners of the Washington Commanders and how committed we are to delivering a championship-caliber franchise for this city and its fanbase,” Harris said in a statement.

The agreement must be approved by at least 24 of the 31 other owners for the sale to be completed. Owners are set to meet later this month in Minneapolis, but the timeline for a vote could take longer.

April 17, 2023: Proposed sale agreement has indemnity provision, per source

The Josh Harris-led group seeking to buy the Washington Commanders forwarded a proposed $6.05 billion purchase of the team to the NFL that includes language to partly indemnify outgoing owner Dan Snyder for future litigation stemming from the many pending investigations into his tenure, according to a person close to Harris.

The provision would partially protect Snyder from legal liability based on the outcomes of the probes.

Sportico first reported that the bid had been forwarded to the NFL. The move is quite unusual, as sales agreements typically only get sent to the league by the selling team once an agreement is signed.

The person said there are some issues that need approval from the league, like indemnification, before the contract can be signed and that is why it was forwarded to the NFL. The indemnification provision would be between Harris and Snyder, not the league. Snyder has been seeking that cover from both the buyer and the league. Why the Harris group needs the league’s approval is unclear, but it’s been widely reported Snyder has not been communicating with the league.

April 13, 2023: Snyder near deal to sell to Harris

A group led by Josh Harris and former NBA star Magic Johnson has agreed to buy the Washington Commanders from Daniel Snyder for $6.05 billion, a source briefed on the negotiations confirmed to The Athletic. The deal has not been signed and the deal is also not exclusive.

The sale price would set a record price paid for a North American sports franchise. The Denver Broncos sold for $4.65 billion last year.

Harris’ bid on the Broncos fell short, but the Washington, D.C. area native hopes to add his hometown NFL team to a sports franchise portfolio that includes the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers, the NHL’s New Jersey Devils and a minority stake in the Premier League’s Crystal Palace. In addition to Johnson, the Harris group includes Mitchell Rales, founder of Danaher Corporation.

A person briefed on the negotiations confirmed a second bid was led by Canadian billionaire Steve Apostolopoulos. ESPN reported that the Apostolopoulos-led group’s bid also meets the $6 billion asking price. Because the Harris deal is not exclusive, Apostolopoulos believes he is still in contention, according to the source.

April 10, 2023: Commanders settle ticket holder lawsuit

Pro-Football Inc., the organization that owns the Washington Commanders, has settled a lawsuit with District of Columbia attorney general Brian Schwalb’s office and must pay $625,000 for failing to return ticket deposits to fans.

The lawsuit was filed against Pro-Football Inc. in November 2022 by the office of then-attorney general Karl Racine. The lawsuit alleged the team implemented “an illegal scheme to cheat District ticket holders out of their deposits for season tickets and use the money for its own purposes.”

The attorney general office’s investigation found that as of March 2022, the Commanders still held over $200,000 in unreturned security deposits paid by District consumers.

Pro-Football Inc. will return over $200,000 to impacted residents and pay $425,000 to the District as part of the settlement agreement. The franchise must disclose the refund process on its website and provide regular reports to the attorney general’s office documenting its progress in returning fans’ money.

Feb. 28, 2023: Snyder under investigation for bank fraud, per report

ESPN reported that federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of Virginia are investigating Commanders owner Dan Snyder for bank fraud, stemming from allegations from three former limited partners that Snyder took out a $55 million line of credit without their approval.

Per the report, the former partners — Dwight Schar, Fred Smith and Robert Rothman — also accused Snyder of using the team as his “personal piggy bank,” citing an example of a $4.5 million charge to the team for putting the franchise’s logo on Snyder’s private jet, deemed “an advertising fee.”

In a comment in the ESPN story, John Brownlee, the Commanders’ lawyer, said the federal court’s subpoenas have been related only to ticket and revenue-sharing questions.

ESPN’s report, which is based on confidential NFL arbitration filings and other documents, said a lawsuit was filed in Maryland federal court by the former partners and was sent to arbitration under commissioner Roger Goodell. According to the report, the league’s concern was a sale of the limited partners’ interest and not the line of credit. The sides then entered mediation.leading to Snyder buying the partners’ shares in March of 2021.

ESPN reported the partners were reluctant to shift from arbitration to mediation, with Smith doing so because he worried if he refused, the league could retaliate against his son, coach Arthur Smith, who is currently the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons.

In a statement, the league said: “The parties had a series of disputes, which were certified to the commissioner for arbitration as required by league rules. The commissioner appointed a highly respected attorney as the arbitrator and none of the parties objected to that appointment. After several months, the parties were asked if they would be interested in participating in a confidential mediation with the commissioner, which they agreed to do. The mediation lasted for two days and the parties subsequently reached an agreement whereby the three limited partners sold all of their interests in the team to Mr. Snyder at an agreed-upon price and other terms. Everyone was represented by very sophisticated legal and financial advisors. The agreement included full releases of all claims that were or could have been asserted by any party in the arbitration proceeding.”

Dec. 8, 2022: House committee releases findings

The House Oversight Committee found that Commanders owner Dan Snyder permitted and also participated in conduct that created a toxic workplace culture, according to investigation findings that were released publicly.

Among the new details revealed, according to the report:

• Snyder “failed to provide full and complete testimony” and “gave misleading testimony” during his private deposition on July 28, 2022. Per the report, Snyder “claimed more than 100 times that he could not recall the answers to the Committee’s questions, including basic inquiries about his role as Team owner and multiple allegations of misconduct.”
• The team and NFL “refused to produce more than 40,000 responsive documents, including the findings of the (Beth) Wilkinson investigation.”
• The NFL “negotiated the financial penalty” with Snyder rather than following its own rules to put such a decision to a vote of the owners, and the payment structure may have been favorable to the team for tax deductions, “thereby conferring the Commanders a benefit.

The team and the NFL both denied that they were uncooperative during the committee’s investigation. John Brownlee and Stuart Nash, counsel for the Commanders, said in a statement that the committee took a “one-sided approach,” while the NFL released a statement saying it “cooperated extensively.”

Also in the 79-page report were a few new details from former Washington general manager Bruce Allen:

• Allen alleged that Washington leaked Jon Gruden’s racist and hom*ophobic emails in October 2021, which led to Gruden resigning from his position. Gruden later filed a lawsuit against the NFL alleging the league leaked the emails.
• Allen disagreed with Snyder’s statement that he was a hands-off owner, saying Snyder wanted “to know everything” and was significantly involved in personnel moves, including trades and draft picks.

Nov. 17, 2022: D.C. attorney general files second lawsuit vs. Commanders

The District of Columbia has filed a second civil lawsuit against the Commanders, D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine announced, accusing the team of “implementing an illegal scheme to cheat District ticket holders out of their deposits for season tickets and use the money for its own purposes.”

“Over the course of the Team’s decades-long unlawful scheme, the Team improperly withheld hundreds of thousands of dollars in security deposits from hundreds of District consumers,” the lawsuit reads. “Indeed, as of March 2022, the Team still held nearly $200,000 in unreturned security deposits paid by District consumers. The Team has also forfeited thousands of dollars from District consumers’ security deposits and converted that money into revenue for the Team, to use for its own purposes.”

The lawsuit comes one week after a suit filed by Racine’s office against the Commanders, owner Dan Snyder, the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell, accusing them of “colluding to deceive” D.C. residents regarding Beth Wilkinson’s investigation into the team’s workplace.

Allegations of withholding security deposits emerged earlier this year amid the House Oversight Committee’s investigation into the team.

Nov. 10, 2022: D.C. attorney general files lawsuit against Snyder, team, NFL, Goodell

The District of Columbia is filing a civil lawsuit against the Commanders, owner Dan Snyder, the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell “for colluding to deceive residents of the District of Columbia about their investigation into a toxic workplace culture that impacted employees, especially women,” D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine said at a news conference.

The lawsuit is filed under D.C.’s consumer protection act, which “prohibits a wide variety of deceptive and unconscionable business practices.” Racine said the lawsuit is seeking accountability for D.C. residents — specifically, consumers of the team and the NFL — who were misled by the Commanders and the NFL about Beth Wilkinson’s investigation into the team’s workplace culture. Under the law, each misstatement can be punished with a fine up to $5,000, which Racine said can “add up quickly.”

“The evidence shows Mr. Snyder was not only aware of the toxic culture within his organization — he encouraged it and participated in it,” Racine said.

He added: “We were led to believe that Mr. Snyder would not interfere with the ‘independent’ investigation. He did. We were led to believe that the public would not be left out of the process. We were.”

Racine said his office wouldissue subpoenas.

“We will seek testimony under oath,” he said. “Let me just give you a hunch: The depositions? Not likely to occur on a yacht, but in a conference room in the District of Columbia. Because nobody is above the law.”

Nov. 2, 2022: Snyder ‘considering all options’ regarding sale of team

Commanders owners Dan and Tanya Snyder have hired Bank of America Securities to “consider potential transactions” regarding a possible sale of the franchise, according to a news release from the team. Asked for clarification on whether the Snyders are considering selling their majority stake or a minority stake, a Commanders spokesperson said, “We are exploring all options.”

According to a Forbes report, Dan Snyder has received at least four calls from groups interested in buying the team. The Snyders own 100 percent of the team after buying out minority owners in March of 2021.

Two weeks ago, after Colts owner Jim Irsay became the first NFL owner to say publicly that he and his colleagues should consider removing Dan Snyder, the team released a statement saying the Snyders would not consider selling the franchise.

Oct. 18, 2022: Irsay backs removal of Snyder; letter to owners emerges

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay told reporters at league meetings in New York that his colleagues must seriously consider removing Dan Snyder as the Washington Commanders’ owner.

“I believe there’s merit to remove him as owner,” Irsay said, becoming the first NFL owner to support Snyder’s removal.

Asked about an ESPN report last week that Snyder is collecting dirt on other owners to protect himself, Irsay replied, “He can investigate me ’til the cows come home, it’s not going to back me off.”

NFL owners have no plans to vote on Snyder’s future at this week’s meeting, The Athletic previously reported. Irsay said he would like Mary Jo White’s investigation into Snyder to be completed, and then for the owners to consider a vote on removal.

It would require the votes of 24 owners to remove Snyder. Asked if he believes there are 24 votes, Irsay said, “I think potentially there will be.”

Meanwhile,The Athletic obtained a copy of a letter that Snyder sent to the other 31 owners on Monday, which denied the claims in the ESPN report.

“That is patently false and intended to erode the trust and goodwill between owners that I take quite seriously,” Snyder said. “I have never hired any private investigator to look into any owner or the Commissioner. I have never instructed or authorized my lawyers to hire any private investigator on my behalf for any such purpose. And I never would.”

Oct. 13, 2022: Report says Snyder claims ‘dirt’ on owners, Goodell; no plans to vote on Snyder’s status

NFL owners do not have plans to vote on the status of Commanders owner Dan Snyder at next week’s league meetings, a league source toldThe Athletic. The news comesfollowing a report from ESPN that Snyderrecently told a close associate that he has enough information to “blow up” several NFL owners, the league office and commissioner Roger Goodell.

The report says Snyder has told people privately of the league and other owners, “They can’t f— with me.” The report cites sources who say Snyder has used private investigators to gather “dirt” on as many as six other NFL owners — including Cowboys owner Jerry Jones — and Goodell to scare them from voting to remove him. The report also says the relationship between Snyder and Jones, who has often supported his division rival in the past, is fraying.

While the report adds, “Something has to give, possibly as soon as the NFL league meetings in New York on Tuesday,” no vote is currently planned. Two investigations into Snyder and the team — one led by Mary Jo White on behalf of the league, and one led by the House Oversight Committee — remain in progress.

It would take 24 of the league’s 32 team owners to vote to remove Snyder as the Commanders’ owner.

July 28, 2022: Snyder testifies for 10-plus hours in private deposition

Commanders owner Dan Snyder testified for more than 10 hours in a private video deposition with the House Oversight Committee. The deposition, which was voluntary, began around 8 a.m. ET and ended after 6:30 p.m.

The committee said in a statement before the hearing that Snyder had “committed to providing full and complete testimony,” and that if he did not, the committee was “prepared to compel his testimony on any unanswered questions upon his return to the United States.”

After the hearing, a spokesperson for Snyder said the owner “fully addressed all questions about workplace misconduct” and “did not decline to answer any questions.” A committee spokesperson declined to issue a statement but reiterated the investigation is ongoing.

Snyder is in Israel to observe the one-year anniversary of his mother’s death. His deposition was conducted privately, but the committee has the discretion to decide if and when any of the information obtained during a deposition is released publicly.

July 13, 2022: Snyder’s attorney says no subpoena is necessary

Commanders owner Dan Snyder’s attorney, Karen Patton Seymour, wrote in a letter to the House Oversight Committee that “there is no legitimate need for a subpoena” ahead of Snyder’s planned appearance to testify on July 28.

“The Oversight Committee refuses to take ‘yes’ for an answer,” a spokesman for Snyder said in a statement.

July 12, 2022: Committee accepts Snyder’s proposed date to testify

The House Oversight Committee accepted Commanders owner Dan Snyder’s offer to testify via video conference on July 28, according to a letter sent from the committee to Snyder’s attorney obtained by The Athletic.

The committee said it would “proceed with a subpoena” to ensure “full and complete” testimony from Snyder.

July 7, 2022: Snyder offers to testify remotely in late July

Commanders owner Dan Snyder has offered to testify before the House Oversight and Reform Committee via video conference on July 28 or 29.

In a letter to chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), Snyder’s attorney Karen Patton Seymour said the committee previously offered dates of July 6 or 8, and Snyder’s group responded on June 28 — one day after the committee said Snyder was refusing to accept service of a subpoena — to offer July 28 or 29.

June 27, 2022: Snyder refusing subpoena, committee says

Commanders owner Dan Snyder has refused to accept service of a subpoena to appear before the House Oversight and Reform Committee, a spokesperson for the committee said in a statement.

“While the committee has been and remains willing to consider reasonable accommodations requested by the witnesses, we will not tolerate attempts to evade service of a duly authorized subpoena or seek special treatment not afforded to other witnesses who testified in this matter,” the statement said.

According to a spokesperson for Snyder, the owner “hasn’t refused to appear for a deposition,” saying the committee offered only one date (June 30), during which Snyder’s attorney will be unavailable.

The two sides remain in discussion over the delivery of the subpoena, according to a source. The committee attempted to deliver the subpoena June 24 via Snyder’s attorney, Karen Patton Seymour, who declined to accept on behalf of her client, according to sources.

June 22, 2022: Committee to subpoena Snyder; Goodell testifies

House Oversight and Reform Committee chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) announced she will issue a subpoena for Commanders owner Dan Snyder to compel him to testify before the committee next week after he declined to appear voluntarily at Wednesday’s hearing.

“Mr. Snyder’s refusal to testify sends a clear signal that he is more concerned about protecting himself than coming clean to the American public,” Maloney said. “If the NFL is unwilling to hold Mr. Snyder accountable, then I am prepared to do so.”

Ranking member James Comer (R-Ky.) criticized the decision to subpoena Snyder, calling it “a misuse of congressional oversight authority and a dereliction of duty.”

Maloney’s announcement came during the committee’s questioning of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who agreed to testify remotely at a hearing about the Commanders’ workplace culture. After an opening statement, Goodell took questions from more than a dozen members of Congress over a span of more than two-and-a-half hours. Among the takeaways regarding Snyder the Commanders:

• Against the requests of multiple members of Congress, Goodell maintained the NFL will not release the findings of the Beth Wilkinson investigation publicly, again citing the privacy of those who participated anonymously. The commissioner also indicated he would not allow Wilkinson to speak freely with the committee, saying “the details are privileged.”
  • Asked why the league could not release the report with the names of anonymous participants redacted — as it did after an investigation of the Miami Dolphins’ bullying scandal in 2014 — Goodell replied: “With all due respect, redaction doesn’t always work in my world. I promise you. We needed to take extra steps to make sure these people who did come through and courageously come forward, we wanted their privacy.”
• Asked if he would remove Snyder as owner of the Commanders, Goodell answered, “I don’t have the authority to remove him.” In February, Goodell told reporters that an owner could be removed with 75 percent of the vote from fellow owners.
• Goodell said he did not recall Snyder informing him of the 2009 sexual assault allegation made against him by a female former team employee, of which the Washington Post reported new details Tuesday. The commissioner said it would be a violation of the league’s personal conduct policy for Snyder not to report the allegation.
• Asked about the committee’s finding that Snyder conducted a “shadow investigation” and used private investigators to harass and prevent witnesses from coming forward, Goodell said: “I think any action that would discourage people from coming forward would be inappropriate and absolutely wrong. In fact, when we took over the investigation (in August 2020), we told the Washington Commanders that they were not to do any investigations.”
• Goodell reiterated that Snyder, “to the best of my knowledge, has not been involved in day-to-day operations at the Commanders,” despite significant evidence saying otherwise.

Following the hearing, according to multiple reports, Dan and Tanya Snyder and team president Jason Wright sent a letter to all employees of the team, saying comments in the media have “portrayed our team in a negative and harsh manner that does not reflect who we are as an organization today.” The letter also touted changes to the team’s workplace culture and diversity, equity and inclusion practices over the last two years.

Lisa Banks and Debra Katz, attorneys for more than 40 former employees of the team, again criticized Goodell’s decision to keep the findings of the Wilkinson investigation public.

“In his inexplicable and apparently unending desire to protect Dan Snyder, Goodell continues his refusal to release the findings by Beth Wilkinson citing reasons that do not withstand even minimal scrutiny. Confidentiality can be protected in a written report by redacting the names of witnesses, which is common practice, including by the NFL,” the attorneys said in a statement. “To be clear, our clients want and deserve a full accounting of Beth Wilkinson’s findings. Until he agrees to release such findings, Mr. Goodell’s purported concern for the employees who suffered through 20 years of harassment and abuse is a sham.”

June 22, 2022: House committee releases new details, says Snyder conducted ‘shadow investigation’

The House Committee on Oversight and Reform released a 29-page report revealing new allegations against Commanders owner Dan Snyder shortly before a hearing on the organization’s workplace culture.

The committee said it found that Snyder and his legal advisers conducted a “shadow investigation” — while Beth Wilkinson and her legal team were investigating on behalf of the NFL — and built a “dossier” in an apparent attempt to discredit accusers, reporters and others central to allegations of extensive workplace misconduct against the team.

According to the committee’s report:

• Snyder “abused the subpoena power of federal courts to obtain private emails, call logs, and communications in an effort to uncover the sources of the Washington Post’s exposés, undermine their credibility, and impugn their motives.”
• Snyder sent private investigators to accusers’ homes to offer them hush money.
• Among multiple presentations to the NFL, Snyder’s legal team showed “a 100-page PowerPoint slide detailing the private communications and social media activity of Washington Post journalists and former employees.”
• Snyder’s attorneys made efforts to “convince the Wilkinson law firm that Mr. Snyder was not responsible for the toxic workplace culture and that instead, it was Bruce Allen, the team’s former president, who should have been the focus.”

The committee’s report also included new allegations regarding the team’s handling of harassment allegations.

The team’s chief operating officer from 2001 to 2006, David Pauken, testified to the committee that upon learning a member of the team’s coaching staff had “groped” a public relations employee, Snyder declined to take action against the coach and instead declared that the employee who had been groped “stay away from the coach.”

Pauken also testified that Snyder fired female employees “who engaged in consensual relationships” with male employees, adding, “there were no repercussions (for the male employee) other than he was restricted from additional sex with the cheerleaders.”

A statement from a Snyder spokesperson said the release of the report demonstrated “the outcome of the House Oversight Committee’s investigation into the Washington Commanders was predetermined from the beginning.”

June 21, 2022: Report details 2009 sexual assault allegation against Snyder

The Washington Post reported a female former employee accused Commanders owner Dan Snyder of sexual assault and harassment on a team plane in 2009, an allegation that led to a $1.6 million confidential settlement.

According to legal documents obtained by the Post, the woman alleged Snyder asked for sex, groped her and attempted to remove her clothes before she stopped him and pushed him away. She said the alleged assault occurred in a private, partitioned area of a team plane during a flight back from a Las Vegas work trip in April 2009.

The woman’s allegation and the July 2009 settlement initially came to light in December 2020 via a Post report, which cited court documents. At the time, the incident was described as sexual misconduct, and few details were known.

The new Post report cites a letter sent by a team attorney to the woman’s lawyer in 2009 in which Snyder denied the allegations. According to the Post, a team investigation accused the woman of fabricating her claims in an attempt at extortion.

According to a 2020 court filing, Snyder said the team settled at the request of an insurance company and described the woman’s allegations as “meritless.”

The Post said Snyder and his attorneys and the woman and her attorney all declined to comment on the emergence of the new details.

A Post report in December 2021 said Snyder attempted to prevent Beth Wilkinson — who was investigating the team’s workplace culture — from speaking with the 2009 accuser. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters Snyder did not interfere with Wilkinson’s investigation and that she had spoken with everyone she wanted to speak with.

June 20, 2022: Snyder again declines to testify; Congress says he ‘has something to hide’

Commanders owner Dan Snyder again declined an invitation to testify before the House Committee on Oversight and Reform on June 22 despite the committee’s urging that he reconsider.

In a letter, Snyder’s attorney, Karen Patton Seymour, cited the committee’s refusal to share documents it intends to use in questioning, along with Snyder’s “longstanding business conflict” as reasons her client will not appear. As to whether Snyder could appear remotely, as NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is scheduled to on Wednesday, Patton Seymour said Snyder cannot do so because he cannot have his counsel physically present with him.

In response, a committee spokesperson said in a statement, “His refusal to testify sends an unmistakable signal that Mr. Snyder has something to hide and is afraid of coming clean to the American public and addressing major worker protection concerns facing the NFL.”

June 17, 2022: Committee responds to Snyder, urges him to attend hearing

Oversight Committee chairwoman Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) urged Commanders owner Dan Snyder to reconsider his decision not to testify at the committee’s June 22 hearing on the team’s workplace culture, in a letter released publicly.

“I urge Mr. Snyder to reconsider his decision to decline public testimony and by doing so refusing to accept accountability for his actions and the culture he has fostered within his team,” Maloney said, noting that the committee offered to accommodate Snyder by allowing him to appear remotely.

“Mr. Snyder is no different than any other witness whose testimony the Committee seeks as part of an important investigation,” she added. “Any suggestion that the Committee has treated Mr. Snyder unfairly is unfounded, especially given that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has agreed to testify voluntarily at the same hearing.”

June 16, 2022: Six members of Congress ask Goodell to release Wilkinson report

Six members of Congress from the DMV area called on NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to release the findings of Beth Wilkinson’s investigation into the Washington Commanders, in a letter released publicly.

“As members representing the National Capital Region, our constituents were primarily impacted by the toxic work environment perpetrated by the Commanders and as such, deserve the transparency from the National Football League (NFL) to share the findings of the internal review,” said the letter, which was signed by Don Beyer (D-Va.), Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Anthony Brown (D-Md.), Jennifer Wexton (D-Va.) and Jamie Raskin (D-Va.).

It added, “We encourage the NFL and the Washington Commanders to do the right thing ahead of the June hearing and release the report.”

June 15, 2022: Snyder declines Congress’ invitation to testify; Goodell accepts

Commanders owner Dan Snyder will not attend the House Committee on Oversight and Reform’s June 22 hearing on the team’s workplace culture, while NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will appear virtually.

“Despite months of Mr. Snyder’s cooperation, the Oversight Committee refused to afford the same respect and courtesy by declining multiple reasonable requests surrounding a potential appearance by Mr. Snyder,” a source close to Snyder told The Athletic. “Mr. Snyder remains willing to continue cooperating with the Committee but is unable to attend the June 22 hearing given the Committee’s disregard for due process.”

In a letter obtained by Axios, Snyder’s attorney, Karen Patton Seymour, said that Snyder “has a longstanding Commanders-related business conflict and is out of the country,” adding that the committee was unwilling to reschedule the hearing.

June 1, 2022: Congress calls on Snyder, Goodell to testify

The House Committee on Oversight and Reform has asked NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Commanders owner Dan Snyder to appear for a June 22 hearing on the team’s workplace culture.

“The Committee has worked tirelessly to obtain critical information, including the findings of the internal investigation conducted by attorney Beth Wilkinson, only to be met with obstruction from the Commanders and the NFL at every turn,” chairwoman Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) said in a statement. “We must have transparency and accountability, which is why we are calling on Mr. Goodell and Mr. Snyder to answer the questions they have dodged for the last seven months.”

Spokespeople for both parties said they would “respond directly in a timely manner.” The NFL said in its statement that it has shared more than 460,000 documents at the Committee’s request.

April 25, 2022: Virginia, D.C. AGs investigating team

The offices of the attorneys general in Virginia and Washington, D.C., are each investigating allegations of financial malfeasance against the Washington Commanders. The allegations made by former executive Jason Friedman were detailed in a letter sent to the Federal Trade Commission earlier in April.

The D.C. attorney general’s office has already been investigating the Commanders and owner Dan Snyder since the fall of 2021 for allegations of sexual harassment and workplace misconduct.

April 18, 2022: Commanders rebut allegations of financial malfeasance

In a letter sent to the Federal Trade Commission, the Commanders forcefully rejected allegations that the team withheld security deposits from fans and kept two sets of books to hide revenue from the NFL.

The team painted former executive Jason Friedman, who levied the allegations of financial malfeasance in testimony before the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, as a scandal-tarred lower-level official who would not have had access to or knowledge of the accounting scheme he alleges.

“I was struck when reading in the committee’s letter that it provides no factual foundation for why or how Mr. Friedman would know anything about the CFO’s office maintenance of books and records in Ashburn, including whether there was one or two sets of books,” former team general counsel David Donovan wrote in an affidavit, noting Friedman worked at FedExField and not the team headquarters in Ashburn, Va. “Mr. Friedman does not appear to assert he had access to the team’s financial records, or that he ever actually saw any such second set of books.”

Friedman’s attorneys, Lisa Banks and Debra Katz, said in a statement that their client stands by his testimony: “He is happy to answer follow-up questions from Congress, the FTC, or any government agency. My client is also prepared to defend himself publicly against these allegations if Mr. Snyder permits him to do so.”

Eight women who are also clients of Banks and Katz and previously leveled allegations of sexual harassment against the team released a statement in support of Friedman.

April 12, 2022: Congress details Commanders’ ‘potentially unlawful’ financial conduct; NFL expands investigation

The Commanders and owner Dan Snyder “may have engaged in a troubling, long-running, and potentially unlawful pattern of financial conduct,” according to a letter sent from the House Committee on Oversight and Reform to the Federal Trade Commission.

A copy of the 20-page letter obtained by The Athletic includes allegations from former vice president of sales and customer service Jason Friedman that the team withheld up to $5 million in refundable deposits from season ticket holders and maintained “two sets of books” to underreport certain ticket revenue to the NFL, hiding money that was meant to be shared with other owners.

The NFL said Mary Jo White, who was already leading the investigation into new sexual harassment allegations against Snyder and the team, will also review the allegations of financial misconduct.

“We continue to cooperate with the Oversight Committee and have provided more than 210,000 pages of documents,” said NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy.

The team did not issue a public comment, standing on its previous denials of financial impropriety and withholding of ticket revenue.

April 4, 2022: Former executive secretly testifies, accusing team of financial malfeasance

Former Washington executive Jason Friedman secretly testified before the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, alleging financial malfeasance by the club, three sources told The Athletic. One specific claim involved the withholding of ticket revenue shared with other teams.

Friedman, who was a vice president when his employment with the team was terminated in 2020, is represented by Lisa Banks and Debra Katz, the lawyers who also represent more than 40 women who have leveled charges of sexual harassment against the team. In February, Oversight Committee chairwoman Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) cited a letter she received from Friedman that corroborated Tiffani Johnston’s allegations made at a congressional roundtable. That was the first time Friedman’s name had been connected to the Washington saga.

In response to the allegations, a Commanders spokesperson said in a statement, “There has been absolutely no withholding of ticket revenue at any time by the Commanders. Those revenues are subject to independent audits by multiple parties. Anyone who offered testimony suggesting a withholding of revenue has committed perjury, plain and simple.”

Banks responded, saying the Commanders’ statement “defamed” her client, adding in a statement: “Mr. Friedman is unable to defend himself publicly due to contractual constraints that prevent him from speaking freely. He would be happy to recount his testimony if Dan Snyder and the Washington Commanders allow him to do so.”

March 31, 2022: Congress investigating allegations of financial impropriety

The House Committee on Oversight and Reform is investigating allegations of financial impropriety by Washington under owner Dan Snyder, according to a report from the Washington Post. The team said it is not aware of any investigation regarding financial matters and “categorically denies any suggestion of financial impropriety.”

The Committee declined to offer specifics about its investigation, saying it will “follow the facts wherever they may lead.”

March 29, 2022: Goodell says Snyder is still not involved in team operations

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters at the NFL owners’ meetings in Palm Beach, Fla., that Washington owner Dan Snyder is still not involved with the team’s daily operations.

“Dan Snyder has not been involved in day-to-day operations,” Goodell said. “I don’t believe he’s been at the facility at all. And when we continue to have league matters, Tanya (Snyder) has represented the team as the CEO both on a day-to-day basis but also here with the league. She represented the club here, and that will continue for at least the foreseeable future. But Dan and I will talk about that at some point.”

Neither the league nor team has given specifics about Dan Snyder’s level of involvement or how long the structure will last, although head coach Ron Rivera said in January he met with both Snyders to discuss the team’s 2021 season and plans for the offseason.

Feb. 18, 2022: NFL tabs White to investigate latest allegations

The NFL hired Mary Jo White to investigate new allegations against Washington owner Dan Snyder. White led the 2018 investigation into allegations of workplace misconduct against former Panthers owner Jerry Richardson, who ultimately sold the franchise.

The league said the findings of the investigation, including a written report, will be made public, and commissioner Roger Goodell will consider any necessary punishments.

Feb. 10, 2022: NFL blames Commanders for withholding documents

In a letter from the league’s counsel to U.S. Reps Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, the NFL blamed the Commanders for not consenting to the release of documents related to the Beth Wilkinson investigation.

“The NFL promptly directed the team to provide its consent,” the league stated in the letter. “But the team repeatedly has refused to do so.”

Washington owner Dan Snyder denied these claims through his lawyer, Jordan Siev, saying, “The Commanders have never prevented the NFL from obtaining any non-privileged documents and will not do so in the future.”

In a responding statement, the committee said the team and the league clearly entered a “joint legal strategy” regarding the Wilkinson investigation.

“While the NFL and the Commanders continue to point fingers at each other, the fact remains that the NFL still has not turned over the findings of the Wilkinson investigation or the underlying documents to the Committee,” it said. “Until the NFL holds Mr. Snyder accountable and stops hiding the truth about the outrageous workplace conduct under his watch, the League’s claims about transparency and accountability will continue to ring hollow.”

Feb. 9, 2022: Team announces investigation; NFL overrules and says it will handle

The Washington Commanders announced plans to investigate former cheerleader and marketing manager Tiffani Johnston’s allegations against owner Dan Snyder, saying it hired Debra Wong Yang to lead the investigation and pledging to release the findings publicly. However, the NFL announced soon afterward that the league, not the team, will investigate Johnston’s allegations.

Speaking at his annual Super Bowl news conference, commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters, “I do not see any way that a team can do its own investigation of itself.”

Goodell declined to say if the findings will be released publicly but indicated this investigation won’t have a common interest agreement like the Beth Wilkinson investigation did. Goodell said the league “did not make a deal with Dan Snyder to have his approval before releasing any information” regarding the Wilkinson investigation, but he reiterated that the Wilkinson report will be kept private, citing protection of those who came forward anonymously.

Asked broadly if other owners can remove an owner from the league, Goodell said it can be done with a vote of 75 percent.

Feb. 4, 2022: Congress releases more documents

The House Committee on Oversight and Reform released documents revealing that a common interest agreement between the team and the NFL may have given Washington owner Dan Snyder the ability to “limit the disclosure of specific findings and recommendations” from Beth Wilkinson’s report on the team’s culture.

Feb. 3, 2022: Former employees speak in Congress

Six former Washington employees, including five women, spoke at a roundtable discussion in Congress in front of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, detailing their experiences working for the team. Among the new details and allegations that emerged were:

• Former cheerleader and marketing manager Tiffani Johnston, who worked for the team for eight years starting in 2002, elaborated on her allegation of inappropriate touching and harassment against owner Dan Snyder, adding that she told a senior co-worker about the incident the next day. She said the co-worker told her she “should not repeat this story to anyone outside this office door.”
• Chairwoman Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) cited a letter she received from Jason Friedman, a vice president who worked for the team for more than 20 years, corroborating Johnston’s allegation about Snyder trying to force her into his limo.
• Johnston said that while she was a cheerleader, Snyder demanded through a senior VP that her enlarged lingerie calendar photo be sent to his office before edits could be made to her private areas.
• Former cheerleader and marketing director Melanie Coburn described an employee “awards trip” to Snyder’s Aspen home, saying that after a dinner of heavy drinking, a colleague was “hazed to drink despite being a recovering addict.” She added that after returning to Snyder’s house, she was told to go stay in her room in the basem*nt and “later learned from a colleague, who was there, that it was because the men had invited prostitutes back.”
• Coburn also said that after reporting a player for sexual harassment in 2005, she was told, “If it’s going to be him or you, it’s going to be you.”
• Former account executive Ana Nunez said she was the target of inappropriate comments and suggestive text messages from two executives in 2017. She said in 2018, the team’s head athletic trainer, whom she did not name, made an unwelcome advance and grabbed her wrist. Ryan Hess was the team’s head athletic trainer at the time.
• The five women at the hearing were asked how many times they would estimate they were sexually harassed. The responses:
  • Johnston: 50 to 100 times
  • Coburn: more than 200 times
  • Nunez: more than 100 times
  • Emily Applegate: approximately 515 times (every day during her 1.5-year tenure)
  • Rachel Engleson: every day for eight years

In a statement, Snyder said he previously acknowledged “misconduct which took place at the Team and the harm suffered by some of our valued employees.” He denied the new allegations against him.

“While past conduct at the Team was unacceptable, the allegations leveled against me personally in today’s roundtable — many of which are well over 13 years old — are outright lies,” Snyder said. “I unequivocally deny having participated in any such conduct, at any time and with respect to any person.”

Feb. 2, 2022: New allegations emerge, one specifically against Snyder

Several former employees made new allegations on HBO’s Real Sports Podcast, including one against Washington owner Dan Snyder. Among the previously unheard allegations were:

• Former cheerleader and marketing manager Tiffani Johnston accused Snyder of touching her inappropriately two different times at a work dinner event. She said Snyder placed his hand on her thigh under the table until she moved his hand away, and then approached her after the dinner and put his arm around her, inviting her into his limo. She said she refused, but he persisted, “aggressively” pushing her toward the limo until his lawyer intervened, saying, “Dan, very, very bad idea, and I mean bad idea.”
• An unnamed woman said she witnessed Snyder laugh as he watched men grope and make unwanted advances toward multiple women in the owner’s suite. The same woman said an employee told her she wasn’t “a team player” because she wouldn’t sleep with a player to get a contract signed, and that former chief operating officer Mitch Gershman routinely pressured women to wear more revealing clothing and lose weight.
• The woman also said a player once approached her in a group office setting and dropped his shorts to reveal his naked lower body. Another unnamed woman said this player did the same thing to her.
• Multiple unnamed former employees detailed a lack of support or accountability from human resources and retaliatory firings for reporting inappropriate behavior.

Jan. 14, 2022: Rivera references meeting with Snyder

In a local radio interview, Washington head coach Ron Rivera said he has “talked with the owners” since the team’s season ended, saying he sat down with Dan and Tanya Snyder.

“We go through the season, talk about what happened in the season, and then we talked about a plan going forward,” Rivera said.

The comments raise questions about how involved Dan Snyder is with the team after he relinquished day-to-day operations to Tanya Snyder, his wife, in July, when the league fined the team $10 million following the Beth Wilkinson investigation. Neither the NFL nor the team provided details at the time about what Snyder’s level of involvement would be or how long the arrangement would last beyond “at least the next several months,” per the league’s statement.

Dec. 15, 2021: Goodell says Snyder did not interfere

Commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters at the NFL owners’ meetings in Irving, Texas, that Washington owner Dan Snyder did not interfere with Beth Wilkinson’s investigation and that she spoke with everyone she wanted to speak with.

Dec. 14, 2021: Report says Snyder tried to interfere with investigation

Citing a filing in federal court, the Washington Post reported Washington owner Dan Snyder sought to interfere with Beth Wilkinson’s investigation by trying to prevent a woman — who had been paid $1.6 million in a confidential settlement stemming from a sexual misconduct allegation against Snyder in 2009 — from speaking with Wilkinson, including offering additional money. Court records obtained by the Post showed the woman did eventually speak with Wilkinson.

The House Committee called on the NFL to immediately release all evidence relating to Snyder’s possible interference in the investigation.

Oct. 27, 2021: Attorneys renew call for Wilkinson report to be public

Lawyers Debra Katz and Lisa Banks wrote a letter to commissioner Roger Goodell reiterating that their clients want Beth Wilkinson’s report to be released publicly despite the league’s argument that it won’t release the report in order to protect those who participated anonymously.

Oct. 26, 2021: Two employees attend owners’ meetings, demanding transparency

Former Washington employees Melanie Coburn and Ana Nunez attended the NFL owners’ meetings in New York to hand-deliver a letter calling for transparency from the league on the Beth Wilkinson investigation. Commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters that the league will keep Wilkinson’s report private, citing the protection of anonymous participants.

Asked whether Washington owner Dan Snyder has been held accountable, Goodell replied, “I do think he’s been held accountable. Dan Snyder has not been involved with the organization for now almost four months.”

Oct. 16, 2021: Congress gets involved

The House Committee on Oversight and Reform called on commissioner Roger Goodell to give Congress the findings of Beth Wilkinson’s investigation, asking for all documents to be produced by Nov. 4.

“The NFL’s lack of transparency about the problems it recently uncovered raise questions about the seriousness with which it has addressed bigotry, racism, sexism, and hom*ophobia — setting troubling precedent for other workplaces,” Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) wrote.

Oct. 13, 2021: Former employees want Wilkinson report released; some reference ‘hush money’ offers

Ten former Washington employees wrote a letter urging six of the league’s top corporate sponsors to demand the NFL release the full details of Beth Wilkinson’s investigation.

“As corporations that care about women and equity … you should not be a party to the efforts of the NFL to obfuscate the truth and to deny validation to so many brave women and men who came forward in the hope that the NFL would take action to right a clear wrong,” the letter said.

Additionally, former employees Emily Applegate and Megan Imbert told the Washington Post that team lawyers offered them a financial settlement in February 2021 — there was not a specific figure given, but Applegate called it “disrespectfully low” — under the condition that they would sign non-disclosure agreements and not speak publicly about their experiences. Both told the Post they declined.

Oct. 11, 2021: Gruden resigns after more emails emerge

Additional leaked emails, as reported by the New York Times, showed Jon Gruden also made hom*ophobic and misogynistic remarks, referring to players, coaches, referees and commissioner Roger Goodell.

Gruden resigned as Raiders head coach, saying, “I love the Raiders and do not want to be a distraction. Thank you to all the players, coaches, staff, and fans of Raider Nation. I’m sorry, I never meant to hurt anyone.”

Among Gruden’s emails, many of which were sent to then-Washington team president Bruce Allen — who spent 10 years with the organization before he was fired in December 2019 — were photos of women wearing only bikini bottoms, including a photo of two Washington cheerleaders.

Oct. 8, 2021: Email shows Gruden using racist trope

A leaked email, as reported by the Wall Street Journal, showed Jon Gruden used a racist trope toward NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith during the NFL lockout in July 2011. The email, which Gruden sent to then-Washington team president Bruce Allen while Gruden was working for ESPN, was one among 650,000 examined by the NFL in Beth Wilkinson’s investigation into Washington’s workplace culture.

Gruden told The Athletic he “will take accountability for it if it was on my email,” and said he reached out to Smith to apologize.

“I never had a blade of racism in me,” Gruden said. “I was just pissed and used a terrible way to insult a guy.”

July 2, 2021: NFL fines Washington $10 million after completion of Wilkinson investigation

The NFL fined the Washington Football Team $10 million after Beth Wilkinson’s 10-month investigation revealed a “highly unprofessional” workplace, including frequent examples of bullying, intimidation and sexual harassment.

Owner Dan Snyder said in a statement that he takes responsibility for the team’s workplace and agrees with the league’s decisions and recommendations for changes. He relinquished day-to-day operations of the team to Tanya Snyder, his wife, a move that Lisa Friel, the NFL’s special counsel for investigations, said was voluntary. In a statement, the NFL said the arrangement will last “at least the next several months,” with no other specifics given.

Details of Wilkinson’s report, which was given orally without a written report, were not released. Lisa Banks and Debra Katz, attorneys for 40 former team employees, criticized the lack of a public report and called the fine “pocket change.”

“This is truly outrageous, and is a slap in the face to the hundreds of women and former employees who came forward in good faith and at great personal risk to report a culture of abuse at all levels of the Team, including by Snyder himself,” the attorneys’ statement said. “The NFL has effectively told survivors in this country and around the world that it does not care about them or credit their experiences. Female fans, and fans of goodwill everywhere, take note.”

March 3, 2021: Team drops cheerleading program

Washington dropped its cheerleading program, announcing plans to have a co-ed dance squad instead. The decision ends the program after 59 years.

Feb. 10, 2021: Settlement reached over lewd videos

According to multiple reports, Washington reached a settlement with former cheerleaders who appeared in videos that were made, unknowingly to them, in 2008 and 2010 after swimsuit calendar photoshoots. The settlement was reached some time in 2020, per reports, with no lawsuit filed.

Feb. 8, 2021: Team places cheerleading program on pause

The Washington Football Team placed its cheerleading program on pause while investigating allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct.

Dec. 22, 2020: Snyder paid $1.6 million in 2009 to settle sexual misconduct allegation, per report

The Washington Post reported, citing court documents, that the Washington Football Team paid a female former employee $1.6 million in July 2009 as part of a confidential settlement after the woman accused owner Dan Snyder of sexual misconduct in April 2009. The alleged incident took place on Snyder’s private plane during a return flight from the Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas, the Post reported.

Specific details of the allegation and settlement were not known at the time. Under the terms of the settlement, neither Snyder nor the team acknowledged any wrongdoing, according to the Post.

The woman, who was terminated for cause, agreed to change her personnel file to show she resigned voluntarily, and the team gave her a letter of recommendation signed by chief operating officer Mitch Gershman, according to the Post.

Sept. 4, 2020: Court documents show NFL told Snyder to ‘back off’ use of PIs

Attorney Debra Katz, who represents many former Washington employees, said in court that the NFL recently told Washington owner Dan Snyder to “back off” in his use of private investigators relating to Beth Wilkinson’s probe of the team’s workplace culture. The Washington Post reported that at least eight people had been approached by private investigators.

NFL senior vice president and special counsel for investigations Lisa Friel released a statement saying Katz’s statements in court “are the attorney’s words and characterization, not ours.”

Sept. 3, 2020: New allegation from former intern

Alicia Klein said on ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” that while she was an intern in 2010, a player once followed her to her car, continuing with unwanted overtures as she tried to leave work. Klein previously told the Washington Post she left the team after male executives repeatedly commented on her looks.

Aug. 31, 2020: NFL takes over Wilkinson investigation

Commissioner Roger Goodell told Washington owner Dan Snyder the NFL would take over the investigation into allegations of sexual harassment and other workplace misconduct. Beth Wilkinson, who is leading the investigation, will report directly to Goodell.

No mention was made of whether the report would be made public, but according to documents later revealed by Congress on Feb. 4, 2022, the transfer of the investigation involved a common-interest agreement between the league and the team.

Aug. 26, 2020: New allegations in Washington Post report, one specifically against Snyder

The Washington Post published a report with allegations from 25 additional women, many of whom spoke on the record. Among the new allegations were:

• Former cheerleader Tiffany Bacon Scourby said that while she was working at a charity event in November 2004, owner Dan Snyder suggested she join his longtime friend, Anthony Roberts, in a hotel room so they could “get to know each other better.” Three people, including the team’s former cheerleader director, corroborated Scourby’s account.
• Former video producers — including one speaking on the record — said senior VP of content and play-by-play broadcaster Larry Michael commissioned videos of outtakes from the cheerleader swimsuit calendar photo shoot in June 2008 and June 2010. According to the Post, an unnamed employee separately reached out through a newsroom tip line and corroborated the existence of both videos.
  • Former producer Brad Baker told the Post that in 2008, Michael assigned the making of the video — calling it a “special project for the owner” — to Baker and two male colleagues, vice president of production Tim DeLaney and videographer Marc Dress, whom Baker said he later saw assembling the footage. According to the file’s metadata, the 10-minute video was created on June 9, 2008.
  • An unnamed former employee told the Post the second video, which was created on June 22, 2010, was being compiled for Snyder. An unnamed producer who acknowledged helping make the 2010 video told the Post that two copies were given to Michael.
• Former employee Rachel Engleson said Michael sexually harassed her regularly throughout her tenure from 2011 to 2019, which included suggestive comments, unwelcome overtures and inappropriate touching.
• Former intern Shannon Slate said she tried to file a sexual harassment complaint in 2016 against director of pro personnel Alex Santos over his unwelcome advances. In response, she said, chief financial officer Stephen Choi told her that the team had “a male-dominated culture” and she would have to avoid Santos or quit. She quit.
• Former intern Alicia Klein declined to extend her internship with the team because she felt uncomfortable about male executives constantly remarking on her looks.
• A 2017 email sent to all employees detailed a “conduct policy” that included the instruction, “If at all possible, females are not present in any football areas while the players are here.” The staffer who sent the email, Julie Kalmanides — who reported to Choi — told the Post the email was written by senior executives she declined to name.
• Several women made additional allegations of sexual harassment and a toxic workplace culture.

Snyder responded with a statement, saying the behavior in the report “has no place in our franchise, or in our society” before criticizing the article, saying it, “reads like a ‘hit job'” and “is riddled with questionable and unnamed sources and decades-old allegations.”

“While I was unaware of these allegations until they surfaced in the media, I take full responsibility for the culture of our organization,” Snyder’s statement added. “I have admittedly been too hands-off as an owner. … Going forward I am going to be more involved.”

Snyder also said he “unequivocally” denied Scourby’s allegation and said she never reported the alleged incident. He said he does not “have any knowledge” of the lewd videos, which he said the team believes are “unauthorized or fraudulent.”

Michael denied allegations relating to the videos, telling the Post, “I was never asked to nor did I ask someone to compile videos as you described.” Both DeLaney and Dress told the Post they were unaware of any outtakes video.

Regarding Engleson’s allegations, Michael told the Post, “There were things that were said and done in public involving Rachel that I have apologized for.”

Santos and Choi declined to comment to the Post.

July 17, 2020: The Athletic reporter accuses personnel director of inappropriate behavior

The Athletic’s Rhiannon Walker said Washington director of pro personnel Alex Santos made inappropriate comments and unwelcome advances toward her in March of 2019.

July 16, 2020: Seventeen women make allegations in Washington Post report

The Washington Post published a report in which 17 women, including 15 former team employees, said they were sexually harassed by members of the Washington Football Team. The allegations included unwelcome overtures, sexual comments, pressure to wear revealing clothing and flirt with clients and a lack of support from an understaffed HR department.

Former marketing coordinator Emily Applegate spoke on the record, while 14 former employees spoke anonymously. Among specific allegations were:

• According to six former staffers, senior VP of content and play-by-play broadcaster Larry Michael was heard on a hot mic in 2018 talking about the attractiveness of a college-aged intern. After a complaint was filed, a team attorney took a hard drive from the employee who had found the video and returned the hard drive with the file deleted, the Post said. It remains unclear if Michael was disciplined.
• Six former employees and two beat reporters accused director of pro personnel Alex Santos of making inappropriate comments about their bodies and unwelcome overtures.
• Assistant director of pro personnel Richard Mann II, according to a screenshot of a text message obtained by the Post, made inappropriate and suggestive comments to a female employee, including about her breasts.
• Five former employees, including Applegate, accused former president of business operations Dennis Greene of imploring women to wear revealing clothing and flirt with clients.
• Applegate accused former COO Mitch Gershman, who left the team in 2015, of routinely berating her for trivial problems and making comments about her body during her tenure from 2014 to 2015.
• One woman said she was “propositioned basically every day at training camp” in the mid-2010s.

According to the Post, Snyder, Michael, Santos, Mann and Greene all declined to comment. Mann and Santos were fired four days before the report was published, and Michael retired one day before it was published.

Gershman denied Applegate’s allegations, telling the Post, “I barely even remember who she is.”

In a statement to the Post, the team said it hired D.C. attorney Beth Wilkinson of the Wilkinson Walsh law firm “to conduct a thorough independent review of this entire matter and help the team set new employee standards for the future.”

One day later, the NFL issued a statement saying, “Washington has engaged outside counsel to conduct a thorough investigation into these allegations. The club has pledged that it will give its full cooperation to the investigator and we expect the club and all employees to do so.”

July 15, 2020: Play-by-play broadcaster Larry Michael retires after 16 years

Senior VP of content and play-by-play broadcaster Larry Michael retired, hours after the Washington Post — it said in a report published the next day — asked for an interview with Michael about allegations that he made inappropriate comments.

July 12, 2020: Team fires two longtime personnel men

Washington director of pro personnel Alex Santos and assistant director of pro personnel Richard Mann II have been fired, sources told The Athletic. Santos had been with the organization since 2006 and in his director role since 2014. Mann spent 10 seasons with the team. Both were the subject of allegations that emerged four days later.

Dec. 30, 2019: Team fires president Bruce Allen

Washington fired team president Bruce Allen, ending his 10-year tenure with the club.

Allen’s emails with Jon Gruden, which would surface in 2021 as part of the Beth Wilkinson investigation, revealed racist, hom*ophobic and sexist comments made by Gruden. In other emails obtained by the New York Times in a report published Oct. 14, 2021, Allen casually joked about Native Americans and racial and political diversity in emails with NFL general counsel Jeff Pash.

Sept. 27, 2018: Team pledges to be more ‘family-friendly’ after investigating cheerleader accusations

Washington completed its investigation of allegations made by cheerleaders in a New York Times report published in May 2018, concluding that “all aspects” of the report were accurate but that events were “greatly exaggerated and dramatized,” according to a team spokesman.

The team said it would make changes to be more “family-friendly,” including having cheerleaders wear more conservative outfits. Cheerleading director Stephanie Jojokian, who the cheerleaders said planned the events that led to their harassment, kept her position.

Two of the five cheerleaders who initially spoke anonymously to the Times agreed to be named publicly. Rebecca Cummings and Allison Cassidy said the team’s changes were not sufficient to eliminate the culture of harassment, adding they were surprised Jojokian kept her job.

May 31, 2018: President of business ops resigns

President of business operations Dennis Greene resigned after 17 years with the team, according to multiple reports. Greene was reportedly in charge of selling access to the cheerleaders’ 2013 photoshoot in Costa Rica and had been demoted after a New York Times report detailed allegations women made stemming from that trip.

May 2, 2018: Cheerleaders make allegations in New York Times report

Five former cheerleaders, all speaking anonymously, said in a New York Times report that they were sexually harassed and intimidated by the team and sponsors during a 2013 trip to Costa Rica for a swimsuit calendar photo shoot.

The cheerleaders told the Times that male team sponsors and suite holders were invited for up-close access to a photo shoot where the women were required to be topless or wear only body paint, and nine of the 36 cheerleaders were required to be personal escorts for sponsors at a nightclub. Cheerleaders said team officials collected the cheerleaders’ passports during the trip, taking away their official form of identification.

Cheerleading director and choreographer Stephanie Jojokian, in comments to the Times, denied that anything was mandatory.

“They weren’t putting a gun to our heads, but it was mandatory for us to go,” one cheerleader told the Times. “We weren’t asked, we were told. Other girls were devastated because we knew exactly what she was doing.”

The Athletic’s Dan Kaplan and Ben Standig contributed to this report.

(Photo: Geoff Burke / USA Today)