A woman has filed a lawsuit against the former Recording Academy head Neil Portnow, accusing him of drugging and raping her in a New York City hotel room in June 2018.
The unnamed woman is described in the suit as a musician and former voting member of the Recording Academy, which oversees the Grammy Awards. The Academy is also implicated in the suit, accused of negligent hiring, supervision and retention.
She alleges that she met Portnow in January 2018 at a Grammy event. Later that year, she asked Portnow if she could interview him for a magazine article while she was in New York in May.
According to the lawsuit, filed in New York State Supreme Court Wednesday, the woman alleges Portnow invited her to his hotel room for the interview. Along with several gifts, including Grammy merchandise, Portnow offered the woman a glass of wine that made her feel “disoriented and incapacitated.”
The woman says Portnow raped her while she was in and out of consciousness.
Shortly after the incident, following multiple attempts to contact Portnow to discuss what had happened, the woman reported the assault to the Recording Academy in October 2018. She says the Academy never interviewed her about the incident.
“After Portnow’s sexual assault, Plaintiff was confused and conflicted given his prominence and stature in the music industry and the Recording Academy,” court documents obtained by The Messenger read. “Plaintiff was aware of his power in the music industry and her position in it as an artist. Plaintiff attempted to contact Portnow several times in the immediate aftermath of the sexual assault to understand and gain clarity as to what had occurred.”
Additionally, the filing includes a November 2018 email from Portnow’s attorney sent a message from the record executive to the unnamed woman.
“Please know that I have always respected you in every way at all times, both professionally and personally,” the message reads. “I remember your indicating your interest and belief in the teachings of Buddha and I found this saying which resonates with you now: ‘Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace.'”
Representatives for both the Academy and Portnow called the accusations false.
“We continue to believe the claims to be without merit and intend to vigorously defend the Academy in this lawsuit,” the Academy said in a statement to the L.A. Times.
“The claims are the product of the Plaintiff’s imagination and undoubtedly motivated by Mr. Portnow’s refusal to comply with the Plaintiff’s outrageous demands for money and assistance in obtaining a residence visa for her,” they added. “An outside independent investigation led by top-tier lawyers, reviewed all relevant texts, emails, interviewed witnesses, and found absolutely no proof to support any of the allegations.”
The New York Times first reported the lawsuit.
Nominations for the 66th Grammy Awards are set to be announced on Friday.
