The Mahwah resident and longtime WFAN fixture will make his return to the air Monday after salacious allegations of sexual harassment were made against him in a bombshell lawsuit filed earlier this week.
WFAN is standing by its bro.
Midday show host Joe Benigno is listed on the sports talk radio station’s schedule for next week in his normal 10-1 slot with co-host Evan Roberts. The Mahwah resident and longtime WFAN fixture will make his return to the air Monday after salacious allegations of sexual harassment were made against him in a bombshell lawsuit filed earlier this week.
Benigno was previously scheduled to be on vacation this week prior to the allegations surfacing.
“He’ll be back on the air next week as per usual,” an Entercom spokeswoman told The New York Post.
The allegations and lawsuit were first reported by The Post. NJ Advance Media has since obtained a copy of the lawsuit.
In the lawsuit, the former ad executive, Lauren Lockwood, alleges WFAN and CBS Radio had an alcohol-fueled “Animal House” culture in its offices that resulted in “flagrant sexual harassment, gender bias, unequal pay, unequal terms of commission, targeting of complainants and retaliation as well as protection and concealment of favored male talent’s sexual misconduct.”
The lawsuit also alleges Benigno, a 64-year-old Mahwah resident, “often came over to plaintiff’s cubicle to flirt with her and ask her personal questions” and “commented inappropriately about plaintiff’s physical appearance, her hair, jewelry and clothing.”
Benigno’s partner: I can’t talk about allegations
The lawsuit then specifically alleges Benigno of seeking “threesomes” with Lockwood, who sold ads for CBS Radio and the Yankees Radio Network, that would have included Benigno, his wife and prostitutes, as well as showing Lockwood a “a nude photo of his wife with a prostitute.”
The lawsuit also alleges Benigno made sexually-charged comments about other women in the office and had a two-year affair with a female subordinate.
Benigno’s agent denied the allegations in a statement provided to Newsday: “Joe’s been at the station for the better part of 25 years and had no issues, to my knowledge. With any story you hear, people need to always consider the source … Joe denies the allegations, and as anyone can imagine is extremely upset for him and his family.”
Benigno has also retained high-profile New York attorney Arthur Aidala.
James Kratch may be reached at jkratch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JamesKratch. Find NJ.com Rutgers Football on Facebook.
http://www.nj.com/sports/index.ssf/2018/07/wfans_joe_benigno_will_be_on_air_next_week_despite.html