Although the Grammys are set to take place this weekend, it appears as though there are some internal issues the Recording Academy is dealing with. Deborah Dugan, the ousted Grammy chief, has been at the center of controversy ever since allegations were made that she created a "toxic and intolerable" working environment which was also described as "abusive and bullying."
Following the complaint, Dugan was put on leave due to a “formal allegation of misconduct [was made against her] by a senior female [staff] member." But she filed her own complaint to the head of HR alleging "something was seriously amiss at the Academy" while accusing them of misconduct including voting practices, conflicts of interest, and financial mismanagement.
But perhaps the allegations she made aren't as serious as she made them out to be. According to reports from Billboard and Variety, on Jan. 10th, less than a week before she was placed on leave, she demanded $22M from the Academy to withdraw her complaints and quietly step down from her position.
"Ms. Dugan’s attorney then informed the executive committee that if Ms. Dugan was paid millions of dollars, she would ‘withdraw’ her allegations and resign," the Academy's interim CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said in an e-mail memo. "I’m deeply disturbed and saddened by the ‘leaks’ and misinformation, which are fueling a press campaign designed to create leverage against the Academy for personal gain.”