A five million-dollar sexual harassment lawsuit was filed against CBS Radio, featuring midday host Joe Benigno as a main defendant according to The New York Post.
Lauren Lockwood, a 40-year old sales executive who worked for CBS Radio from 2006 until last summer, claims WFAN was run like a frat house. The suit alleges that Benigno pressured Lockwood to engage in a threesome with him and his wife on numerous occasions, and that her career was derailed when she refused.
The suit says Benigno, who joined WFAN in 1994 as an overnight host prior to moving to middays in 2004, “showed [Lockwood] a nude photo of his wife with a prostitute and propositioned [Lockwood] to join him, his wife and a prostitute in sexual intercourse.”
Benigno is not the only person named in the five million-dollar lawsuit. Lockwood’s boss, Sean Argaman is among the employees who are alleged to have contributed to an atmosphere that was heavily filled with drinking and sexual harassment. Lockwood claims she was an award-winning salesperson who was unfairly suspended and ultimately fired after attempting to break up a brawl at the Conor McGregor/Floyd Mayweather boxing match last August.
The WFAN lineup, which remained stagnant for so long, has undergone many changes in recent months, but Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts remained staples for the station. Each host signed a three-year contract with WFAN to remain in the midday slot last September, but at the age of 65 it will be interesting to see whether or not the longtime Benigno chooses to stay and dispute the allegations or retire and head to Florida as he often discusses.
Benigno, who returns from vacation on Sunday, is scheduled to broadcast from Yankee Stadium as part of the station’s FanFest celebration leading up to the Subway Series Finale. He did not return a voicemail from the New York Post seeking comment on the lawsuit.
A spokesperson for Entercom, which purchased CBS Radio’s stations including WFAN in November, said they will not comment on pending litigation, but did add “we do intend to defend the company vigorously.”
Brandon Contes is a freelance writer for BSM. He can be found on Twitter @BrandonContes. To reach him by email click here.
