ViacomCBS Probed, Cleared CEO On Misconduct Allegation
ViacomCBS said Thursday it investigated and subsequently cleared chief executive Bob Bakish following an allegation of sexual misconduct.
The US media-entertainment giant offered no details but confirmed a report that its board had conducted an independent review of the matter and ultimately took no action.
"The board takes any allegation of this type seriously," a company spokesperson said.
![ViacomCBS chief executive Bob Bakish is seen at a 2017 business conference in Sun Valley, Idaho](https://d.ibtimes.com/en/full/3051461/viacomcbs-chief-executive-bob-bakish-seen-2017-business-conference-sun-valley-idaho.jpg?w=736&f=72b834d72e6b6809946d19e2084e4f8c)
"An independent review of the alleged incident has concluded, and the investigation did not support the allegation."
The claim centered on alleged improper touching of another employee at a 2016 holiday party when Bakish was acting CEO at Viacom, according to a report by the news site The Information.
Bakish became CEO at Viacom a year later and then became head of the group after its merger in 2019 with CBS, whose CEO Les Moonves was ousted amid sexual misconduct allegations.
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