Media

Charles Payne to return to Fox Business after harassment investigation: report

Fox Business host Charles Payne is set to return to the network Friday night after being suspended in July amid sexual harassment claims. 

The Los Angeles Times reported Friday that an internal investigation into the sexual harassment allegations has been completed and that the “Making Money” host would step back into his role at the network.

The results of the probe were not immediately clear, but Payne’s return to the network indicates that it did not find evidence of wrongdoing. 

{mosads}The sexual harassment allegations against Payne were first reported by the Los Angeles Times in July.

A former frequent guest on Fox Business and Fox News said she carried on a three-year relationship with Payne in hopes of becoming a paid contributor on the networks. She claimed she was banned from the network, however, when her relationship with Payne ended.

Payne has acknowledged that he had a three-year “romantic relationship” with the woman, who said she was barred from the network when she attempted to report sexual harassment by Payne.

Last year, Roger Ailes, the former Fox News CEO, was ousted amid sexual harassment allegations from former “Fox & Friends” co-host Gretchen Carlson. 

And Bill O’Reilly, who once stood as the highest-rated cable news host, was removed in April amid revelations that he and Fox News had paid millions of dollars to settle sexual harassment lawsuits from five women.

Another Fox News host, Eric Bolling, was suspended last month after HuffPost reported that he had sent lewd photographs to three female colleagues. He is suing the reporter responsible for that report for defamation.