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After being accused of “inappropriate sexual advances” by two local journalists earlier this week, Keshet Broadcasting founder Alex Gilady has stepped down from the company amid mounting allegations of sexual assault. Three women on Tuesday accused Gilady, who also sits on the International Olympic Committee and is a former NBC Sports executive, of raping them in the 1970s and 1990s, Haaretzreports. He has denied the allegations.
The three women, none of whom has been identified by name, are reported to include a former employee, one who was seeking employment and a former journalist.
Deadline has confirmed Gilady exited Keshet on Wednesday. He said he is “temporarily” standing aside in order to fight what he called “unfounded accusations.” In a subsequent statement, Drorit Wertheim, who is Chair of the Keshet board of directors, said, “Effective today, following Alex’s announcement, he will no longer serve as President of Keshet.”
The new claims include those of a former employee who alleged to Haaretz that Gilady raped her when he was her boss on a television project in the late ’70s when she was picking up material from his home. The second accuser alleged that when she was being considered for a TV show 20 years ago, she was driven to Gilady’s house where he threw her to the floor, and “did what he did.” The third woman told the newspaper that in the late ’70s, she was a journalist covering one of his programs and alleged the incident took place after Gilady “hinted that if I stuck close, he’d give me an exclusive interview.”
The new allegations join those of Haaretz columnist Neri Livneh who accused Gilady of exposing himself to her after a work dinner; and Channel 10 television journalist Oshrat Kotler who accused him of an “indecent proposition” when she met him for a job interview.
Gilady’s most recent title at Keshet Broadcasting has been President, although this is an honorary role without any day-to-day involvement in the firm.
His full statement on the latest allegations reads, “I am temporarily stepping aside from Keshet to fight to prove my innocence from these unfounded accusations. I repeat what I said before, these allegations are false and I will use every legal action available against these accusations.”
