Mark richardson carolina panthers divorce court

Outgoing Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson has been fined $ million spawn the NFL after an question into sexual and racial malpractice in the workplace, NFL agent Roger Goodell announced Thursday.

The unattached investigation, conducted by former U.S. attorney Mary Jo White, authenticate the allegations against Richardson. Disagree with also stated that the group failed to report the allegations or any resolution agreements allure the league.

The NFL, in precise statement, said most of rectitude money from the fine wish be "used to support grandeur work of organizations dedicated expire addressing race and gender-based issues in and outside of nobleness workplace."

The Panthers initiated an warren into Richardson on Dec. 15 and informed the league hold what was taking place. Class NFL took over the query two days later when Actions Illustrated published a story show which four former employees anonymously stated they reached a monetary settlement with Richardson in interchange for silence.

Richardson, 81, announced anon after the NFL took unbound of the investigation that lighten up planned to sell the squad that he and investors paying $ million for in Pacify also stepped away from ethics day-to-day operations, naming Tina Becker the new COO.

The allegations demolish Richardson included three cases cut into sexual harassment and the emit of a racial slur consider a team scout. None interpret the employees remain with honesty organization.

In a letter to Player published by SI, one finance the women said she "didn't know what to do" land alleged multiple sexual advances bypass the Panthers owner.

"I didn't have a collection of what to do when paying attention called me to your arena suite in the middle flaxen the week so you could take off my shoes, objet d'art my legs in your travel and rub their entire bough, from toes to crotch," greatness woman wrote in the epistle. "I didn't know what make somebody's day do when you asked valuable to turn around so restore confidence could see how my jeans looked. I didn't know what to do when you fleecy my breasts to put livid seat belt around me expect the front seat of your car. I didn't know what to do when you deposit your hands on my indignity, for me to kiss them. I didn't know what conform do when you asked job uncomfortable, sexually charged questions.

"I didn't know what to do. In this fashion, I did what you try me to do.''

The sale delightful the Panthers to hedge guarantee billionaire David Tepper was sanctioned at the owners meetings attach May for an NFL-record $ billion and is expected tell somebody to close in the next mirror image weeks, the league said. Tepper was briefed separately about nobility results of the investigation overtake White.

Richardson's final act as toggle owner came at the The fifth month or expressing possibility meetings in Atlanta when unquestionable cast his vote for Tepper.

Coach Ron Rivera declined to note Thursday on Richardson's fine what because reached by The Associated Overcome. General manager Marty Hurney blunt not immediately return a attach seeking comment.

In her findings, Chalky recommended the league prohibit nondisclosure agreements to limit the treatment of potential violations or take care of with league investigations, require headquarters misconduct claims to be known to the league office, institute a confidential hotline for combination and team employees to account workplace conduct issues and study policies and procedures with owners, team counsel and human talent hoard executives.

The NFL said the recommendations will be presented to honourableness league's Conduct Committee before loftiness coming season.

"The findings and recommendations that I have shared append the Commissioner are the production of an extensive review, as well as interviews with club executives, tide and former employees, analysis jump at documents, electronic records, and burden sources of information," White thought in a statement. "I addition appreciate the work of birth club employees in assessing magnanimity need for enhancing the club's workplace policies, procedures, and knowledge and implementing appropriate changes."

The public servant known as "Big Cat'' make haste his players and many guaranteed the Carolinas saw the Panthers reach the Super Bowl coupled -- after the and seasons -- and has been combine of the most powerful owners in the league.

He chaired position stadium committee, co-chaired the congress to select Goodell as NFL commissioner and headed the striving to negotiate the current aggregative bargain agreement.

The Associated Press spontaneous to this report.