Accusations of sexual misconduct against PinkNews executives.
Employees at PinkNews, the biggest LGBT news website in the world, have accused the couple who operate it of several instances of sexual misconduct.
The BBC was told by a number of former employees that they witnessed Anthony James, a director of the UK-based company and the spouse of its founder, kissing and groping a junior employee who they claim was too inebriated to give his assent.
Additionally, over thirty current and former employees reported that founder Benjamin Cohen and his husband occasionally acted improperly with younger male colleagues due to a culture of frequent drinking.
Although they were unable to comment at this time, Mr. Cohen’s and Dr. James’s representatives told the BBC that they believe the accusations.
“To inform, inspire change, and empower people to be themselves” is the stated aim of PinkNews, which is run by Mr. Cohen’s family members. His father Richard serves as the chief lawyer, while his husband and former general practitioner Dr. James serves as the chief operational officer.
Away from the red carpets and cameras, however, several former employees have told the BBC that they were the victims of sexual misbehaviour and bullying, which made them feel uncomfortable being by themselves around Mr. Cohen and Dr. James.
A number of people informed us that several young female employees had been recruited to serve as the couple’s surrogates, and accusations of misogyny have also surfaced.
In addition to speaking with 33 employees who worked at PinkNews from 2017 to 2024, we have seen a range of documentation, such as formal written grievances, confidential emails and WhatsApp messages expressing staff members’ worries, and medical records mentioning stress and mental health issues linked to the PinkNews workplace.
The prime minister’s spokeswoman described the claims as “very concerning” in a statement following their initial publication. He stated that he thought “everyone should be free” from improper actions in the workplace, but he did not comment on the case’s facts.
“People should always feel confident to come forward in these situations,” he stated.
“They couldn’t give their consent.”
The BBC was informed by five former employees that they saw Dr. James kissing and touching a junior employee who was “too drunk to stand or talk” and “unable to consent.”
The alleged incident took place outside a pub in central London where employees had congregated following a PinkNews event
Gary, a former employee of PinkNews, claimed that Dr. James had escorted the less experienced colleague behind a tree. “Anthony was just forcing himself on somebody who wasn’t able to make that decision for themselves because of how intoxicated they were,” he explained.
Attendees claimed to have assisted the alleged victim in taking a taxi home.
However, a number of former employees who claimed to have seen the incident told us they were too afraid to voice their concerns. “What are you going to do? It’s the CEO’s husband,” one individual added. Lose your job?
A staff member later filed a complaint regarding the incident, which was shared with a number of PinkNews senior leadership team members
Despite being provided several copies of the complaint, the BBC has not been able to determine whether any action was taken in response.
Many of the former workers claimed that “Prosecco Friday”—when employees would receive free wine and crisps—was implemented in the workplace to improve staff morale and that staff socials or away days frequently featured drinking until the wee hours of the morning.
Damian, another former employee we are contacting, claimed that on an evening at the pub after work, he personally witnessed Mr. Cohen acting inappropriately
“Ben was extremely drunk to the point he fell off his chair, and then asked me out of earshot of my other colleagues whether I wanted to go back to his […] because Anthony his husband wasn’t there,” Damian stated.
“When he stated something like, ‘Anthony is always getting with other men,’ it was implied that we would engage in sexual activity. I felt really uneasy.
According to Damian, he spent the remainder of his time at PinkNews avoiding being by himself with Mr. Cohen following that evening.
“I never heard about it again, no apology,” he stated. “It put me on alert because it made me realise it was a boundary he thought he could cross.”
