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Some three days after Variety first reported that Epic Records chairman and CEO L.A. Reid was leaving Sony Music, the reason for his abrupt departure has come to light.
According to the New York Post, Reid has been accused of sexual harassment by a female assistant at Epic Records. In a letter submitted to Sony Music, the accuser, represented by an attorney, details instances during which inappropriate behavior was allegedly exhibited by the industry veteran.
Variety has confirmed that such a letter exists, but has further learned that there have been “multiple” claims made against Reid. Sony executives have spent much of the last week negotiating terms of his exit, say insiders. Reid is represented by attorney Joel Katz, who heads the Greenberg Traurig firm’s Global Entertainment & Media arm.
On Saturday, Sony Music released a terse statement announcing his exit. “L.A. Reid will be leaving the company,” it read.
Reid was six years into his tenure at the label he relaunched as a hub for urban acts (Future, Travis Scott, DJ Khaled) with a proven track record in pop (Meghan Trainor, Fifth Harmony). In fact, the week his departure was revealed, Epic had the No. 1 song in the U.S., Khaled’s “I’m the One.”
Sony Music would not comment.
