What to know about Jennifer Eckhart’s rape allegations against Ed Henry

What to know regarding Jennifer Eckhart's rape allegations against Ed Henry.

Key points

• In a 2024 filing, Eckhart again cited past incidents, including an alleged affair between Henry and a Las Vegas stripper in May 2016.
• Eckhart began her career as an associate producer at Fox Business Network in 2013 but was fired from the role in 2020.
• In the lawsuit, Eckhart remarked Henry forced her to perform oral sex in a guest office on the 17th floor of the Fox News building in September 2015.
• The then-co-anchor of "America's Newsroom" was ultimately terminated on July 1, 2020, based on the findings of the investigation.
• Cathy Areu, a former frequent Fox guest as a news analyst, was part of the July 2020 lawsuit against Henry, whom she accused of sexual harassment.

What to know regarding Jennifer Eckhart's rape allegations against Ed Henry. Liza Esquibias, Sameen Chaudhry USA TODAY. Jennifer Eckhart, former Fox Business associate producer, discovered dead.

Jennifer Eckhart, a former Fox Business associate producer, has died at 36. Authorities remarked she was identified dead in a bathtub of her Florida home.

In the years leading up to Jennifer Eckhart's suicide death at 36, she was engulfed in a sexual misconduct lawsuit against former Fox News host Ed Henry.

Notably, the "REINVENTED" podcast host was discovered dead by her mother in the bathtub of her Florida home Saturday, Sept. 19. According to a Martin County Sheriff's Office incident report obtained by USA TODAY, Eckhart had "a large laceration to the front of her throat/neck and there was a folding pocketknife next to her right hand."

Sheriff John M. Budensiek informed USA TODAY in an official note Sept. 21 that "the circumstances were determined to be consistent with suicide."

Eckhart began her career as an associate producer at Fox Business Network in 2013 but was fired from the role in 2020. Months afterwards, she accused Henry of rape and other sexual misconduct during their time working together. It produced headlines throughout the nation. Here is what to know regarding the legal battle. What did Jennifer Eckhart accuse Ed Henry of doing?

On June 25, 2020, Fox News received a complaint from an attorney for a former employee – afterwards identified as Eckhart – regarding "willful sexual misconduct in the workplace years ago" by Henry. The after month, Eckhart and a colleague sued Henry and the network.

She alleged Henry afterwards raped her in a New York hotel room "sometime in 2017, " which "left her injured, bruised and battered with bloody wrists." He additionally allegedly took pictures of her on his cellphone.

"Ms. Eckhart did not consent to any part of this violent, painful rape, " the suit remarked. When did Fox News fire Jennifer Eckhart and Ed Henry?

When Fox News received Eckhart's complaint in June 2020, Henry was suspended and an outside law firm was "immediately retained" to "independently investigate the claims, " Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott and President Jay Wallace informed USA TODAY at the time.

Meanwhile, the then-co-anchor of "America's Newsroom" was ultimately terminated on July 1, 2020, based on the findings of the investigation.

Eckhart was informed weeks prior in June that her employment would be ending that month. According to federal court records, Fox attributed its decision to performance problems, including repeated tardiness and failure to comply with a performance improvement plan.

Eckhart disputed the network's explanation and alleged she was fired in retaliation for raising reservations concerning harassment and a toxic workplace. A federal judge afterwards dismissed Eckhart's retaliation claim, finding that the evidence did not show Fox's reasons for termination were fabricated or a pretext for retaliation. How did Ed Henry respond to the allegations and his firing?

Henry has long denied any wrongdoing. At the time of Eckhart's lawsuit, he admitted they had engaged in sexual activity, including an encounter inside Fox's New York offices, but maintained that their relationship was consensual.

In an official note to USA TODAY, his attorney remarked Eckhart had "initiated and completely encouraged a consensual relationship, " and argued that photographs and sexually suggestive messages exchanged between them contradicted her allegations.

"The MeToo movement has supported to bring to light a number of injustices in our society, and everyone that has suffered deserves to be heard. This is not one of those cases, " the statement remarked. Fox News fires Ed Henry after sexual misconduct investigation.

Ed Henry was terminated after Fox News received a complaint on June 25 from a former employee's attorney.

Henry additionally took separate legal action after his termination. In 2021, he filed defamation lawsuits against Fox News, CEO Suzanne Scott and journalists associated with CNN and NPR, arguing that statements and coverage regarding his firing falsely portrayed him as a sex criminal.

While a judge dismissed his claims against Fox and Scott for failing to state a viable claim, his case against CNN and NPR was voluntarily dismissed in 2022. Ed Henry faced extra sexual misconduct allegations.

Cathy Areu, a former frequent Fox guest as a news analyst, was part of the July 2020 lawsuit against Henry, whom she accused of sexual harassment. She remarked in the filing that he sent her "a slew of wildly inappropriate sexual images and messages – which are in her possession" through the first half of 2020.

In his response, filed in October 2020, Henry alleged Areu created the "flimsy and baseless claims" as Fox declined to hire her for a position at the network. He further argued Areu quoted only "selective examples" of their messages. Areu's claims were dismissed in September 2021.

Ex-Fox News anchor Ed Henry accused of sexually assaulting another female colleague.

Multiple times throughout the lawsuit, Eckhart remarked Henry was accused of sexual misconduct by a number of others. It she alleged Fox executives knew regarding but failed to address.

In the initial filing, her lawyers remarked, "Fox News continues to protect and reward perpetrators of sexual harassment and refuses to take accountability for putting such persons in positions of power from which they can subject women to sexual misconduct, sexual assault and, in the case of Ms. Eckhart, rape."

For context, the network denied knowing of any sexual misconduct by Henry before this year. "There were not sexual harassment claims against Ed Henry at Fox News prior to Jennifer Eckhart's claim on June 25, 2020, " the network remarked in a 2020 statement.

In a 2024 filing, Eckhart again cited past incidents, including an alleged affair between Henry and a Las Vegas stripper in May 2016. It led to a suspension from his job and treatment for sex addiction. When he returned to work in 2017, Eckhart alleged Henry sexually assaulted another unnamed Fox News staffer. This person provided sworn testimony as part of Eckhart's case. Henry denied the allegations. How did Jennifer Eckhart's lawsuit against Ed Henry end?

In March 2025, a federal court dismissed Eckhart's claims against Fox News, finding that the network did not know regarding the alleged conduct. In June of that year, Eckhart and Henry reached a settlement in the case, ending proceedings entirely.

"This has been an exhaustive, retraumatizing, five-year legal battle with incredible challenges that at times I almost felt was unable to bear, " Eckhart remarked in an official note to Residents. "With this settlement in place, a weight has now been lifted from my shoulders and my passion to support fellow trauma survivors has been renewed."

After leaving Fox, Eckhart went on to start The Reinvented Project, a nonprofit aimed at helping trauma survivors through animal-assisted therapy. She additionally rolled out a podcast by the same name. How Jennifer Eckhart's former Fox colleagues are reacting to her death.

Former Fox News personalities remembered Eckhart for her strength and willingness to speak publicly regarding her allegations against Henry and the network after news of her death broke.

"It takes immense courage to come forward about any kind of sexual misconduct and the mental toll of displaying such bravery cannot be underestimated, " former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson, co-founder of Lift Our Voices, remarked in an official note shared with USA TODAY. "Jennifer was a warrior who never gave up on her fight for justice and she served as an inspiration to many others."

NewsNation reporter Diana Falzone, a former Fox News host who covered Eckhart's lawsuit for years, remembered her for her "courage, candor and strength."

"I am deeply saddened to learn of the tragic passing of Jennifer Eckhart, " Falzone remarked. "I had the privilege of knowing Jennifer. I will remember her for her courage, candor and strength. My heart is with all those who loved her during this devastating time. May she rest in peace."

Julie Roginsky, a former Fox News contributor and co-founder of Lift Our Voices, remarked Eckhart's death underscored the effect workplace sexual misconduct can have on survivors.

"Jen Eckhart's tragic death underscores the devastating effects of workplace sexual misconduct on survivors, " Roginsky remarked. "Jennifer was a solid, courageous woman who inspired numerous others struggling with unthinkable workplace toxicity. Her loss is tragic and must serve as a reminder of the devastating toll workplace toxicity takes on those who have the misfortune to experience it." SMS Facebook Twitter Email. Share your feedback to support improve our site! Share your feedback to support improve our site!

Taken together, the developments around what to know about Jennifer Eckharts rape allegations against Ed Henry point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.