Media

Ex-CBS chief Les Moonves gave up $34 million last year in separation agreement

Former CBS CEO Les Moonves forfeited more than $34 million last year after he was ousted in light of a slew of sexual misconduct allegations.

Moonves still took home $12.6 million in 2018 out of his overall $47.1 million salary, according to a regulatory filing Friday. He earned more than $69 million in 2016 and 2017.

{mosads}The former CEO is still arbitrating with CBS over a $120 million payment the company is withholding due to the circumstances surrounding Moonves’s resignation.

Moonves resigned from the company in September after multiple women accused him of sexual misconduct.

“I am deeply saddened to be leaving the company,” Moonves said in a statement obtained by Variety. “I wish nothing but the best for the organization, the newly comprised board of directors and all of its employees.”

The allegations first surfaced in July when The New Yorker published a report in which six women accused Moonves of sexual harassment.

Four described forced touching or kissing, and dozens of other employees exposed a culture of gender discrimination. Ronan Farrow later reported the stories of several more women who accused Moonves of exposing himself, threatening their careers or, in one case, forcing a woman to perform oral sex.

Moonves denied he harassed anyone, saying any sexual encounters were consensual. He also admitted he tried to kiss an actress and writer working for the network.