Before the shocking news of Bryant’s death , people who had been following the controversy were waiting to see how the Grammys would address it. Following Dugan’s suspension, she filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) that included some stunning allegations. Among them was a report that former CEO and president Neil Portnow had faced an accusation of rape by an artist who is an Academy member that was hidden from the public and reportedly not shared with the full Academy board. In a statement, Portnow revealed that he had been exonerated by an independent investigation and denied the allegation. It is unclear if Academy leadership felt it was necessary for Portnow to go on leave while that investigation happened, as they did with Dugan. There are also allegations that Joel Katz, who serves as outside counsel for the Academy, invited Dugan to a dinner where he sexually harassed her and tried to give her an unwanted kiss. He denied her allegations , characterizing it as a “productive and professional meeting” via his attorney. The alleged incident that really had people talking were accusations that the Academy board manipulated the nominations for personal gain, to benefit artists they represent, or to support acts that longtime Grammys executive producer Ken Ehrlich wanted to book to perform on the show. The latter cast doubt on the integrity of the entire awards system, threatening the relevance of the Grammys.