Mark Zuckerberg’s Security Head Accused of Sexual Misconduct

The security head has been put on leave pending an investigation.

By Gadgets 360 Staff | Updated: 1 June 2019 10:16 IST

Mark Zuckerberg’s Security Head Accused of Sexual Misconduct

Mark Zuckerberg's security chief allegedly made a sexist and racist remark about Zuckberg's wife

Highlights

The security head has allegedly made numerous racist and sexist comments
His former assistant claimed he inappropriately grouped and touched a man
The executive also remarked he "didn't trust black people"

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg's Head of Security Liam Booth has been accused of sexually harassing other household staffers and making derogatory racist, sexist, homophobic and transphobic remarks about other staffers as well as Zuckerberg's wife Priscilla Chan. Booth allegedly made a sexist and racist remark about Chan's ethnicity when referencing her driving ability, The Verge reported on Thursday. Booth has since been put on administrative leave.

Booth's former assistant came forward and claimed that not only did Booth sexually demean a gay staffer of the Zuckerberg household, but later he also inappropriately groped and touched the man at a restaurant in Nobu last year.

The former security staffer has also alleged that before Booth fired her for "giving him an eye roll", he repeatedly found reasons to harass her at the workplace and asked other staff members to inform her that she had to change her clothing, terming her style distracting.

Booth has allegedly made numerous other racist and sexist remarks spanning a variety of topics. Those include the diversity efforts of the chief executive and his wife's philanthropy organisation, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, for which Booth is also chief of security, and the Black Lives Matter movement, according to accusations.

The Head of Zuckerberg's security is also being pulled up for his racist remarks like he "didn't trust black people", the report added.

According to a Bloomberg report, a spokesman for the Zuckerberg and Chan family office said Liam Booth has been put on administrative leave pending an investigation by an outside law firm.

A former Secret Service agent, Booth has previously worked under ex-US President Barack Obama.

According to Business Insider, along with Booth, the former staffers are also accusing Brian Mosteller, the Managing Director of Zuckerberg's private office, for not taking action against Booth despite repeatedly raised objections about his behaviour, the report said.

The former staffers are requesting compensation for lost wages and additional damages related to emotional distress.

The accusations have been outlined in a pair of letters sent to Zuckerberg's private estate by law company, The Bloom Firm.

Written with inputs from IANS

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