Comcast fired NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell “with cause” after it investigated allegations of sexual harassment from an employee, it has emerged.
In a Securities and Exchange Commission filing on Monday Comcast said it retained outside counsel to look into the allegations and dismissed Shell immediately on Sunday (April 23) after “evidence was uncovered that corroborated the allegations”.
The brief filing read: “Following a complaint that Jeffrey Shell, CEO of NBCUniversal, engaged in inappropriate conduct with a female employee, including allegations of sexual harassment, Comcast Corporation (the “Company”) retained outside counsel to investigate the allegations. Evidence was found that corroborated these allegations during the investigation. As a consequence, on April 23, 2023, the Company terminated Mr. Shell’s employment With Cause under his employment agreement, effective immediately.”
In general terminating an employee with cause in the United States means they do not get a severance package, especially in cases involving misconduct.
The complainant has been identified in the press as CNBC senior international correspondent Hadley Gamble. Reports in various outlets have confirmed this indirectly through statements by Gamble’s attorney Suzanne McKie.
On Sunday Comcast abruptly announced Shell’s departure in a move that took Hollywood by surprise.
At the time Comcast said it and Shell mutually agreed the executive would depart immediately and Shell said, “I had an inappropriate relationship with a woman in the company, which I deeply regret.”
Sunday’s statement by Comcast said Shell was departing after an investigation by outside counsel into a complaint of inappropriate conduct.
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