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July 20 (UPI) -- The NFL approved the sale of the Washington Commanders to a partnership led by Josh Harris from former owners Tanya and Dan Snyder on the same day a damning report into sexual misconduct allegations levied by a former cheerleader and employee was published. Dan Snyder has been ordered to pay $60 million to the league to resolve the investigation.
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The NFL approved the $6 billion sale of the team to Harris and partners that include NBA legend Magic Johnson, the league said on Twitter. Harris is the founder of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment and co-owns the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team and the New Jersey Devils ice hockey team.
Harris and the Snyders had entered into a purchase agreement May 12 for a league-record $6.05 billion. The agreement required the approval of at least 24 of the league's 32 owners and received unanimous support.
"Congratulations to Josh Harris and his impressive group of partners," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement on Thursday.
"Josh will be a great addition to the NFL. He has a remarkable record in business, sports, and in his communities. The diverse group that Josh has put together is outstanding for its business acumen and strong Washington ties and we welcome them to the NFL as well."
Harris said at a Thursday news conference that he is a "lifelong Washington football fan" and hopes to make a difference on and off the field.
"This franchise is part of who I am, and who I've become as a person. But being a fan is not enough," Harris said.
"To be successful, we understand that we need to win championships, have a positive impact on the community, and great incredible memories and experiences for our fan base, much as I had as a youth growing up in Washington."
The sale was approved the same day former U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White ended her independent investigation into allegations made by Tiffani Johnston, a former Washington Commanders cheerleader, who said Dan Snyder had put his hand on her thigh during a work-related dinner in the 2000s.
The findings of the 23-page report were published by the NFL on Thursday.
Johnston also alleged that another former senior executive of the football team improperly obtained a revealing photo of her at Dan Snyder's request.
The U.S. House Oversight Committee in March 2022 interviewed Jason Friedman, another Commanders employee, who corroborated an account from Johnston that Dan Snyder had tried pushing her into the back seat of his limo after the dinner.
Friedman additionally provided lawmakers information about alleged financial wrongdoing by the club, including repeatedly and deliberately omitting NFL ticket sales revenue from reports that were sent to the NFL between 2015 and 2016. The team also kept customers' security deposits for suite leases.
Dan Snyder has called Johnston's allegations "outright lies" and denied the conduct outlined by Friedman.
White's team investigated 44 witnesses, some of them several times, after the Washington Commanders agreed to release former employees from non-disclosure obligations.
The investigation sustained Johnston's three allegations, that Snyder put his hand on her thigh without her permission, that he tried to push her towards the back seat of his car and that a former senior executive of the company did take an unedited calendar photo of her.
White said the evidence was insufficient to show that Dan Snyder was involved in the photo incident.
As for the financial allegations, investigators specifically found that $11 million in revenues required by the league to have been disclosed appear to have been hidden from the NFL.
The investigation could not find or rule out that Dan Snyder directed or participated in the improper shielding of revenues from the league.
Dan Snyder and the club failed to cooperate with the investigation, which left White's team unable to determine the total amount of improperly shielded NFL revenues and the extent of his participation in the scheme.
