Team co-owners Dan and Tanya Snyder pose for a photo with current and alumni members of the team during the announcement of the renaming of Washington Soccer Team to Team Washington Command at FedExField on February 2, 2022 in Landover, Maryland .
Rob Carr | beautiful pictures
The Attorney General of Washington, D.C., on Thursday sued Commanders and owners Dan Snyder, as well as NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell, for allegedly misleading DC residents about their alleged monopolistic culture damage to the team for their own financial gain.
Attorney General Karl Racine alleges that the team and its owners lied to DC residents about the team’s allegations of toxic culture and sexual harassment, in order to keep the truth from DC residents and protect profit.
Racine said Thursday the NFL and Goodell have been working with Snyder and the Commanders to mislead the public about an investigation into the allegations and the malicious culture the organization has maintained for years.
“The commanders and the NFL secretly signed an agreement about the investigation without the public knowing about it,” Racine said, pointing to evidence gathered by his office.
Synder, who has owned the team since 1999, and the Commanders have been the subject of recent investigations by both the House Oversight Committees and the NFL into sexual harassment and financial misconduct.
Representatives for the NFL and Commander did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“We are taking this matter as a civil matter before a court of law with a fair process for the defendants so that the public can have a sense of accountability,” Racine said on Thursday.
As for the monetary penalties that the Commanders, Snyders, NFL and Goodell could face, Racine also noted that under the Consumer Protection Act each violation carries a maximum fine of $5,000 and it “revenues pretty easily exponentially,” equivalent to millions of dollars in fines.
The Attorney General is also seeking a court order that will release the findings from a 10-month investigation into Commanders’ workplace culture.
The NFL’s review is being led by former Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Mary Jo White. The federation said White is still under review. On Thursday, Racine said he doesn’t know where White’s investigation is.
The investigation into alleged financial wrongdoings has sparked several other investigations.
The commanders and Snyder have previously denied the allegations of misconduct.
Shortly after the House Oversight Committee sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission, attorneys general Virginia and Racine also opened investigations into the group.
ESPN reported last week The United States Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Virginia has opened a criminal investigation into allegations of financial misconduct against the Commanders.
Snyder recently brought the team Huge discount, has hired Bank of America to help facilitate the potential transaction, CNBC previously reported. The deal could cost the Commanders up to $7 billion. The NFL has said any deal would have to go through its finance committee and would need to win approval from 24 of the NFL’s 32 teams.
Amazon founder and billionaire Jeff Bezos and rapper and music giant Jay-Z are reported interest in bidding in the group.
This story is evolving. Check for updates again.
