NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess) — Universal Music Group says that it plans to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct leveled against Republic Records Group president Charlie Walk by a former employee.
News of the allegations against Walk broke on Jan. 29th after Tristan Coopersmith published an account of her alleged experiences on the website of her business Life Lab. In the letter, she described her alleged sexual mistreatment at the hands of Walk as a new, 27-year-old employee.
While Coopersmith did not specify when or where she worked for Walk, the time frame seems to indicate that the alleged misconduct occurred when he was president of Epic Records.
“I remember the day you called and asked me to work for you. I was in shock. I couldn’t believe a music mogul like yourself wanted ME to come work for YOU. And not only did you want me to work for you, you wanted me to start my very own department. You said it would revolutionize the way the record industry worked,” Coopersmith wrote.
“But you also made me feel sick to my stomach almost everyday. For a year I shuddered at the idea of being called into your office, where you would stealthily close the door and make lewd comments about my body and share your fantasies of having sex with me. I was 27. No previous experience had taught me what to do in such a situation. So I laughed it off, gently reminded you that you were married with children, and tried to change the subject,” she added.
Coopersmith went on to detail numerous incidents, including “vulgar text messages,” inappropriate contact during dinner meetings and alleged that Walk once pushed her onto his bed during an event at his home.
“And then there was that event at your swank pad when you actually cornered me and pushed me into your bedroom and onto your bed. The bed you shared with your wife… your wife who was in the room next door. You being drunk and me being 6 inches taller was my saving grace,” she added.
Coopersmith claimed that when she brought Walk’s behavior up with an unnamed counterpart, she says he was conciliatory, but unwilling to intercede, instead offering to help ease her out of the job.
“I was paid to keep my mouth shut and my reputation intact. I’m ashamed of that piece but it’s a truthful part of my story. I took that dirty money and moved to LA,” Coopersmith wrote.
According to Billboard, UMG on Monday responded by stating that they plan to review the matter.
“While it appears this blog post relates to the period prior to Mr. Walk’s appointment to his position at Republic Records, we take the allegations very seriously and intend to conduct a full and complete review of this matter,” a spokesperson for UMG told Billboard in a statement.
Walk told Billboard that he was surprised by Coopersmith’s claims and described them as false.
“It is very upsetting to learn of this untrue allegation made by someone who worked with me 15 years ago, without incident,” Walk told Billboard. “There has never been a single HR claim against me at any time during my 25+ year career, spanning three major companies. I have consistently been a supporter of the women’s movement and this is the first time I have ever heard of this or any other allegation — and it is false.”
Walk joined the Republic Records team in 2013 and was appointed to the post of CEO at the label in 2016. He also did a three-year stint as the President of Sony Music’s Epic Records starting in 2005 and currently serves as a judge of FOX talent competition show “The Four – Battle For Stardom.”
