Real Housewives Star Leah McSweeney Sues Andy Cohen and Bravo for Discrimination, Alleges Culture Promoting Alcohol and Drug Use

Andy Cohen is being sued by his ex The Real Housewives of New York star Leah McSweeney.

The civil suit filed Tuesday in the Southern District of New York includes Cohen, Bravo Media, NBC Universal Media, Warner Bros. Discovery, production company Shed Media US and producers John Paparazzo, Lisa Shannon and Darren Ward.

In the 109-page lawsuit obtained by PEOPLE, McSweeney alleges that the defendants established a “rotten” workplace culture where employees were pressured to consume alcohol. She also alleges that the defendants failed to maintain a safe work environment and accommodate her disabilities, including an “alcohol use disorder” and “mental health disorders.”

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Andy Cohen, Dolores Catania and Leah McSweeney in an episode of “Watch What Happens Live”.

Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty

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McSweeney added that she revealed she had violated nine years of sobriety, but was sober by the time the show’s 12th season began filming in 2019.

Representatives for Cohen, Bravo, Shed and Warner Bros. did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on McSweeney’s allegations.

McSweeney further alleges that the producers knew she suffered from an alcohol dependence disorder after she confided in them, but discriminated against that and other mental disorders by “deliberately planning scenarios that were intended to exacerbate [her] disability,” all in an effort to “create morbidly depraved reality television.”

In a later section of the lawsuit, McSweeney goes on to allege that Cohen “does cocaine with the Housewives and other ‘Bravolebrities’ he employs,” and that he has a “propensity to use cocaine with his employees.”

“Cohen is trying to provide more favorable treatment and arrangements to housewives with whom he uses cocaine,” she claimed.

Andy Cohen on ‘Watch What Happens Live’.

Charles Sykes/Bravo via Getty

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“Cohen intentionally uses cocaine with his employees to further promote a workplace culture based on drug and alcohol abuse, which leads to a failure to accommodate employees who are disabled and trying to remain drug-free.”

“Cohen’s favorite work environment, which is fueled by substances and illicit behavior, permeates every aspect of The Accused Bravo’s productions,” she continued.

Deadline reported that Cohen’s rep said Tuesday that “the allegations against Andy are completely false!”

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Source: HIS Education