Eddie "Piolin" Sotelo has been off the Univision radio airwaves for a few weeks now after the radio host was accused of sexual harassment by a former producer, Alberto "Beto" Cortez. Cortez was also a writer and performer on the "Piolin Por La Mañana" radio show and alleges that his former boss was "physically, sexually and emotionally harassing" for a period of three years that ended this past January. He accused him of sexual harassment and making repeated unwanted sexual advances that included grabbing his buttocks and genitals every morning as he arrived to work. This claim ultimately had repercussions as Piolin was let go from his talk show.
"A disgruntled, troubled employee has made malicious and false claims about Eddie Sotelo," Piolin's attorney Jeffrey Spitz said in a statement. "This was done as part of a demand for money.... The employee worked with Eddie for more than a decade. The employee's allegations of harassment and falsification of immigration letters are pure fiction intended to gain a financial settlement."
Sotelo has said that Beto rallied up co-workers to "join him in asserting fictitious allegations and filing a complaint" against him, and in response, he filed a civil lawsuit Monday for extortion and intentionally inflicting emotional distress against six former colleagues from his morning radio show: Tomas Alejandro Fernandez, Samuel Heredia, Gerardo Palencia, Domingo Rodríguez Ochoa, Sergio Vera and Bertha "Betushca" Velasco. He claims those former Univision employees contacted him last week and offered to "seal their lips" in exchange of a whopping $4.9 million, supposed to be handed to them "under the table."
The lawsuit, which was obtained exclusively by Latin Times, details how Piolin gave five of the Defendants, who had no prior broadcast experience, their break in radio. Piolin also shared his good fortune through raises, perks, loans and side payments made by his personal production company as the program shot its way up the ratings to become number one in the U.S. Hispanic market, where it was syndicated on more than 60 stations.
According to the lawsuit, the Defendants began plotting as early as 2006 to pressure Piolin for more money, even if it meant staging a walkout. When Univision urged the dismissal of the Defendants for insubordination, Piolin not only saved their jobs but persuaded management to grant them salary increases. Within years, however, Univision fired two of the Defendants for poor job performance and laid off the other four Defendants as part of companywide staff reductions, the lawsuit states. Despite losing their jobs, several of the Defendants expressed gratitude for Piolin's mentorship and the opportunity to work on the show, according to the lawsuit.
None of the Defendants ever complained to Piolin that they felt sexually harassed, intimidated or humiliated while working on the show, which became popular because of its "mixture of farce, sarcasm, sound gags, outrageous comments... Everyone knew this 'horseplay' was all in good fun," the lawsuit says. In fact, Univision lawyers directed the posting of a disclaimer on the studio door warning all guests and staffers about the show's "comedic" format.
Piolin's lawsuit states "that defendants have attempted a naked money grab, but have sorely underestimated their target; plaintiff has worked for justice his whole life and does so again with the present action."
What do you think about the "Piolin" scandal? Was he framed or is he guilty of sexual harassment?
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