Hollywood Mogul Ron Meyer Out At NBCU, Claims Extortion

HOLLYWOOD, CA —Ron Meyer, Vice Chairman of NBC Universal, is leaving the company after admitting he made a settlement payment to a woman with whom he had an affair. Meyer, who also co-founded CAA, had been with the company for 25 years.

"It is with a heavy heart that I announce my departure from NBCUniversal," Meyer said in a statement. "I recently disclosed to my family and the company that I made a settlement, under threat, with a woman outside the company who had made false accusations against me. Admittedly, this is a woman I had a very brief and consensual affair with many years ago. I made this disclosure because other parties learned of the settlement and have continuously attempted to extort me into paying them money or else they intended to falsely implicate NBCUniversal, which had nothing to do with this matter, and to publish false allegations about me. After I disclosed this matter to the company, we mutually decided that I should step down from my role as Vice Chairman of NBCUniversal. I've spent 25 years helping to grow and support an incredible company in a job I love. It is the people at this company that I will miss the most. I regret what has happened and I am sorry for all the people in my life I may have let down, especially and most importantly, my family."

The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline and other outlets later reported the unnamed woman was Charlotte Kirk, an actress who appeared in the movie Ocean's 8. Kirk also had an affair with Warner Bros. chairman Kevin Tsujihara, who was pushed out after accusations that he gave Kirk special consideration in Warner Bros. productions.

Meyer's departure from NBC Universal comes after allegations that a "toxic workplace environment" promoting racist, sexist and homophobic behavior permeated the company. Paul Telegdy, who served as NBCU Chairman, was also relieved of his duties only a week after a THR expose accused him of fostering such a culture.