NFL fining Dan Snyder $60 million amid Commanders sale based on investigation findings

Dan Snyder is out as the Washington Commanders’ owner. However, he isn’t off the hook yet.

“NFL is ordering former Commanders’ owner Daniel Snyder to pay $60 million as part of the closing sale,” Adam Schefter reported on Twitter.

On Thursday, the sale was unanimously approved by other NFL owners. The team will now belong to a group led by Josh Harris. The Harris group is reportedly paying $6.05 billion in the transaction, a record figure for a North American sports franchise.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is seemingly happy to bring in the Harris group.

“Congratulations to Josh Harris and his impressive group of partners,” Goodell said in a statement. “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.

“I know he has a commitment to winning on the field, but also to running an organization that everyone will be proud of — and to making positive contributions in the community.”

The Dan Snyder investigation

The sale comes after Snyder was investigated for allegations of misconduct and financial improprieties made by former employees of the Washington Commanders. Former U.S. Attorney and SEC chair Mary Jo White and her colleagues from Debevoise & Plimpton led the investigation.

Per NFL.com, “Ms. White and her colleagues conducted a comprehensive and independent investigation over 17 months that included interviews with dozens of witnesses, sometimes on multiple occasions, a review of over 10,000 documents, and assistance from a team of forensic accountants.”

The NFL included White and her colleagues’ conclusion in its press release.

“After extensive investigation, we have sustained both Tiffani Johnston’s allegation of sexual harassment by Mr. Snyder and Jason Friedman’s allegation of deliberate underreporting of NFL revenues by the Club to avoid its VTS sharing obligations. We found that the evidence was insufficient to demonstrate Mr. Snyder’s involvement in the calendar photo incident or in the security deposit issues, and was inconclusive as to his personal participation in the Club’s improper shielding of VTS revenues.

“In the course of the Investigation, we also identified a variety of transactions and accounting entries, left unexplained by the Club, which raised a number of issues as to whether a significant portion of the revenues recorded were NFL-related revenues improperly shielded from VTS sharing.”

Goodell was grateful for the investigators’ dedication.

“We appreciate the diligence, thoroughness and professionalism of Ms. White and her team throughout this process,” Goodell said. “We pledged to share her findings publicly and are doing so today.”