Numerous allegations have been exchanged in the aftermath of former Recording Academy CEO Deborah Dugan being forced to step down, including the claim that she demanded $22 million in order to leave her post, according to Variety.
After Dugan sent a memo to the head of human resources at Recording Academy, alleging numerous wrongdoings by the organization such as “voting irregularities, financial mismanagement, and exorbitant and unnecessary legal bills,” among others. Dugan herself subsequently faced allegations of misconduct of her own from a woman named Claudine Little, and was eventually forced to step down.
Billboard reported that before her departure, Dugan demanded up to $22 million to keep quiet about her own allegations. However, other sources have called this claim “outrageous” and “untrue,” with a representative for the Recording Academy – which is also in charge of the annual Grammy Awards – standing by the statements calling it false.