[Warning: This article contains descriptions of sexual assault.]
Ronan Farrow’s new book Catch And Kill, in which he details his years of investigating the allegations against Harvey Weinstein as well as his own experiences at NBC News, is coming out next week. But explosive excerpts are already being released. The most contentious appears to be the accusation by former NBC employee Brooke Nevils that Matt Lauer raped her while they were at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Variety reports that “In the book, obtained by Variety, Nevils alleges that at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, Lauer anally raped her in his hotel room” after they had some drinks in the hotel bar with other NBC News colleagues. She told Farrow, “It was nonconsensual in the sense that I was too drunk to consent… It was nonconsensual in that I said, multiple times, that I didn’t want to have anal sex.”
Lauer has already penned a letter in response, claiming that his sexual acts with Nevils, which he says continued when they returned to New York, were consensual. Lauer’s lawyer submitted his letter to Variety, which reads in part: “In a new book, it is alleged that an extramarital, but consensual, sexual encounter I have previously admitted having, was in fact an assault. It is categorically false, ignores the facts, and defies common sense.” He goes on to describe his own recollections of his relationship with Nevils, while calling the accusation “outrageous,” and “part of a promotional effort to sell a book.”
CNN reports that NBC News’ response statement reads as follows:
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.