In July 2020,
The Washington Post published a series of articles alleging that over 40 women who were former employees of the organization, including office workers and cheerleaders, had been
sexually harassed and discriminated against by Snyder and other male executives, colleagues, and players of the team since at least 2006.
[59][60] That December, it was also reported that Snyder had settled a sexual harassment claim with a former female employee for a sum of $1.6 million. The alleged incident had occurred on his private plane while returning from the
Academy of Country Music Awards in 2009. Two private investigations at the time, by the team and an outside law firm, failed to substantiate the woman's claim, with it being reported that Snyder paid the sum to avoid any negative publicity.
[61]
A year-long independent investigation into the team's
workplace culture, led by lawyer
Beth Wilkinson, was concluded in July 2021.
[62][63] It found that incidents of sexual harassment, bullying, and intimidation were commonplace throughout the organization under his ownership.
[63] The NFL fined the team $10 million in response, with Snyder also voluntarily stepping down from running the team's day-to-day operations for a few months, giving those responsibilities to his wife Tanya