Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Matt Lauer: Former NBC staffer accuses Lauer of rape in Ronan Farrow's new book

Matt Lauer: Former NBC staffer accuses Lauer of rape in Ronan Farrow's new book

When NBC News fired Matt Lauer two years ago, the network said an employee accused him of "inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace."
When NBC News fired Matt Lauer two years ago, the network said an employee accused him of "inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace."

Now that employee, Brooke Nevils, is speaking publicly for the first time. And Nevils is saying that Lauer raped her. The disturbing account is detailed in "Catch & Kill," a book by Ronan Farrow that comes out next Tuesday.

Representatives for Lauer have not yet responded to CNN's requests for comment about the allegations.

Variety magazine published excerpts from Farrow's book, including quotes from Nevils, on Tuesday evening.

NBC News responded by saying, in a statement, "Matt Lauer's conduct was appalling, horrific and reprehensible, as we said at the time. That's why he was fired within 24 hours of us first learning of the complaint. Our hearts break again for our colleague."

Lauer's former show, the "Today" show, covered the new reporting from Variety on Wednesday morning.

"This is shocking. And appalling. and I honestly don't even know what to say about it," Savannah Guthrie said on the air.

These "are not allegations of an affair, they're allegations of a crime," Hoda Kotb said.

"We're disturbed to our core," Guthrie added.

Nevils told Farrow in an interview that the rape occurred while she was in Sochi, Russia, covering the 2014 Winter Olympics.

She says it happened after a night of drinking with Lauer and others at a hotel bar. Nevils said she had six shots of vodka. Lauer invited her up to his room but, according to Farrow, Nevils said she "had no reason to suspect Lauer would be anything but friendly based on prior experience."

Nevils told Farrow that once in the room, Lauer forced himself onto her and raped her.

"It was nonconsensual in the sense that I was too drunk to consent," Nevils said. "It was nonconsensual in that I said, multiple times, that I didn't want to have anal sex."

Nevils also told Farrow that she and Lauer later had sexual encounters that were consensual. "It was completely transactional. It was not a relationship," she said.

Nevils did not immediately report the alleged attack to NBCUniversal executives. She told Farrow that she confided in former "Today" host Meredith Vieira three years later, and Vieira urged her to get a lawyer and speak with NBC human resources.

Nevils did, and her attorney said that NBC took swift action at that point.

"My client and I met with representatives from NBC's Human Resources and Legal Department at 6pm on Monday," Nevils' attorney Ari Wilkenfeld said at the time. "Over the course of several hours, my client detailed egregious acts of sexual harassment and misconduct by Mr. Lauer. In fewer than than 35 hours, NBC investigated and removed Mr. Lauer. Our impression at this point is that NBC acted quickly and responsibly, as all companies should when confronted with credible allegations about sexual misconduct in the workplace."

After he was terminated, Lauer said in a statement, "There are no words to express my sorrow and regret for the pain I have caused others by words and actions. To the people I have hurt, I am truly sorry." He said that "some of what is being said about me is untrue or mischaracterized, but there is enough truth in these stories to make me feel embarrassed and ashamed. I regret that my shame is now shared by the people I cherish dearly."

After the news of his firing broke, multiple news outlets published stories with other allegations of harassment by Lauer.

But no allegation of rape had emerged until now.

Nevils has not responded to a request for further comment from CNN.

Her account is sure to prompt new questions about whether she felt protected by NBC. Farrow reports that she left the network in 2018 with a payout in the "seven figures."

NBC News chairman Andy Lack said in a statement on Wednesday morning, "Our highest priority is to ensure we have a workplace environment where everyone feels safe and protected. We are absolutely committed to making this a reality - there can be no exception."
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
Intel Reports Revenue Beats but Sees 81% Rise in Losses
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
Tulsi Gabbard Unveils Evidence Alleging Political Manipulation of Intelligence During Trump Administration
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Trump Announces Coca-Cola to Shift to Cane Sugar in U.S. Production
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
Moonshot AI Unveils Kimi K2: A New Open-Source AI Model
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
×