Mark Cuban pledged $10 million to women's groups after sexual harassment probe at Dallas Mavericks: Where did the money go?

In 2018, Mark Cuban, the then Dallas Mavericks owner donated $10 million to women's advocacy groups after an independent investigation found a long history of sexual harassment among team employees. The billionaire businessman agreed to pay such a lumpsum amount after a seven-month investigation into allegations of sexual harassment and other improper conduct involving team employees and former executives.

The NBA in a statement said that Mark Cuban agreed to contribute $10 million to organizations that are committed to supporting the leadership and development of women in the sports industry and combating domestic violence. These organizations would be selected by an advisory council of leaders from the Mavericks, including Mr. Cuban and Ms. Marshall, and the NBA, including President of Social Responsibility & Player Programs Kathy Behrens, President of Team Marketing & Business Operations and Chief Innovation Officer Amy Brooks, and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer Oris Stuart.

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Where was the $10 million supposed to go?

According to the NBA's, the money was allocated for organizations committed to two main causes: supporting women's leadership and development in the sports industry, and combating domestic violence. An advisory group involving Cuban, Mavericks CEO Cynthia Marshall and NBA representatives was tasked with selecting the organizations that would receive the funds. Additionally, the NBA is requiring the Mavericks to:

• Provide the league office with quarterly reports regarding the recommendations set forth in the report and their implementation;
• Immediately report to the league office any instances or allegations of significant misconduct by any employee;
• Continually enhance and update annual “Respect in the Workplace” training for all staff, including ownership; and
• Implement a program to train all staff, including ownership, on issues related to domestic violence, sexual assault, and sexual harassment.

Mark Cuban said during an emotional interview with ESPN that he is "accountable" for the Mavericks' workplace culture and offered an apology to the women involved. "In hindsight, it was staring me right in the face and I missed it," Cuban said. "I had a CEO that I deferred to, and that was a mistake." The main purpose of the donations was to support organisations promoting women's leadership and development in sports and combating domestic violence.

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Why did Mark Cuban pledge $10 million?

The pledge followed after an investigation, launched under league oversight, began after Sports Illustrated published an article in February that focused on allegations against former president Terdema Ussery. The investigation, led by former New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram and former prosecutor Evan Krutoy, included interviews with 215 current and former employees and a review of more than 1.6 million documents.

The report was based on information gathered from 215 interviews with current and former Mavericks employees who worked for the team during the past two decades and from the evaluation of more than 1.6 million documents, including emails and other electronic documents.

What did the investigation find?

Investigators substantiated numerous instances of sexual harassment and other improper workplace conduct spanning more than two decades. The findings included inappropriate conduct toward 15 female employees by former team president and CEO Terdema Ussery, along with misconduct involving other former employees. The investigation found "numerous instances of sexual harassment and other improper workplace conduct" within the organization over more than 20 years, the NBA said Wednesday.

The instances included touching and forcible kissing of women employees by a former team president, as well as other misconduct by a former ticket sales employee and by a former Mavs.com reporter, the league said.

The probe also found that team management was ineffective and "permitted the growth of an environment in which acts of misconduct and the individuals who committed them could flourish," the NBA said.

Mark Cuban acknowledged his responsibility for the workplace culture. In an interview with ESPN, he said, “In hindsight, it was staring me right in the face and I missed it,” adding that relying on a senior executive without sufficient oversight had been a mistake.

In February 2019, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Cuban was on track to fulfill his $10 million commitment. Silver also said Cuban had indicated that he was doing more beyond the pledge.