Steven Fabrizio, a top executive at the Motion Picture Association of America, has been fired following charges of second degree sexual abuse and blackmail.
Fabrizio served as general counsel to the trade group, which represents the interests of Hollywood on Capitol Hill. He was charged on Saturday in Washington, D.C.
On Monday morning, MPAA Chairman and CEO Charles Rivkin informed his board — which includes all of the major studios and Netflix — that Fabrizio was dismissed “for violating certain terms of employment.” Daniel Robbins has been appointed interim general counsel as a replacement is found, Rivkin added.
According to a police affidavit, Fabrizio is accused of threatening a woman he met on a “sugar daddy” dating site. The police allege that Fabrizio and the woman had consensual sex once on Aug. 19, after which he paid her $400. After that, she did not want to see him again. According to the affidavit, Fabrizio sent numerous texts insisting on a second meeting, and threatening to expose her if she did not comply.
“I know where you live,” he allegedly wrote. “I know where you work. Don’t think — Hospital would be happy to know that it’s young nurses are having sexual for money / Same for your landlord.”
Fabrizio allegedly used those threats to coerce her into having sex again, according to the affidavit. The police allege that he then sent additional texts threatening to tell her parents if she did not continue to have sex with him a couple times a month. The woman called the police. After arranging for another meeting, Fabrizio was arrested outside the woman’s apartment on Friday morning, according to the document.
A D.C. Metropolitan Police spokesperson did not immediately return Variety‘s request for comment on his detention status. An attorney for Fabrizio did not immediately comment on the matter.
In regards to the charges, an MPAA spokesperson said “if true, are both shocking and intolerable to the association. We had no prior knowledge of this behavior before these charges were publicly filed.”
According to the MPAA, Fabrizio was appointed to the company’s senior executive vice president and global general counsel position in 2013. In his position, Fabrizio oversaw anti-piracy and rights management programs domestically and around the world.
The MPAA reported a total revenue of $71.7 million in 2017, the bulk of it collected through membership dues, film rating service fees and title registration. It ended the year with a $4.4 million surplus.
The news of Fabrizio’s arrest was first reported by Breitbart.