The former head of the Grammy Awards, Neil Portnow, is facing legal action from a Recording Academy member who alleges he sexually assaulted her in a New York hotel in 2018. Filed in a New York state court, the lawsuit contends that Portnow, with the alleged involvement of the Recording Academy, committed the assault to protect their reputations and silence the victim, described as a musician with ties to Carnegie Hall and a former Recording Academy voting member.
The lawsuit details that the woman met Portnow at a 60th Grammy Awards event in January 2018 and later requested an interview in May while she was in New York. During the interview at Portnow's hotel room, she claims he provided her with a toothbrush set, Grammy merchandise, and a drink that left her disoriented. Allegedly, Portnow raped her while she was in and out of consciousness.
Despite the victim's report to the Recording Academy in 2018, she was never interviewed about the allegations. The lawsuit accuses the Recording Academy of negligent hiring, supervision, and retention. Portnow's spokesperson denies the allegations, attributing them to the plaintiff's imagination and suggesting they stem from Portnow's refusal to comply with her demands for money and assistance with a residence visa.
The Recording Academy maintains that the claims are without merit and expresses intent to vigorously defend against the lawsuit. Portnow, who served as CEO since 2002, announced his resignation in May 2018, effective the following year. The allegations of sexual assault surfaced in 2020 during a discrimination complaint by Deborah Dugan, who had been hired to succeed Portnow but was fired after less than a year. Dugan also claimed that despite knowledge of the 2018 assault, the Recording Academy sought to rehire Portnow as a consultant, which she declined.
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