A former state employee who accused Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment clinched a $450,000 settlement — with taxpayers set to foot the massive bill as the former governor makes a comeback bid for New York City mayor.
Charlotte Bennett, a former assistant to Cuomo when he was governor, on Friday officially ended her lawsuit against the Empire State.
She is slated to receive $100,000 personally with another $350,000 earmarked for her lawyers and legal costs — all of which will be shelled out by the state.
As of March, taxpayers had shelled out nearly $60 million in legal costs to defend against various scandals that embroiled the Cuomo administration, according to a report by the state comptroller’s office.
Defending Cuomo and the state against Bennett’s claims alone cost citizens $9 million.
Bennett, now 29, was the second woman after former gubenatorial aide Lindsey Boylan, to publicly accuse the thrice-elected Democrat of sexual harassment in 2021.
She filed suit against the state in March 2023, alleging it failed to act to address her complaint that Cuomo subjected her to degrading sexual harassment on the job and accused her of lying when she came forward with the accusations.
As part of the settlement, Bennet — worked as a top assistant and health policy adviser to Cuomo between May 2019 and June 2020 — agreed not to seek further employment in the state Executive Chamber.
The state did not own up to any wrongdoing, or liability, in the agreement, according to a copy of the settlement obtained by The Post.
“This settlement was mutually agreed upon by the parties and allows the State to minimize further cost to the taxpayers,” Avi Small, a spokesman for Gov. Kathy Hochul, said in a statement.
Bennett’s lawyer, Debra Katz, said her client’s allegations were supported by findings from New York Attorney General Letitia James’ Office and from the US Department of Justice.
“Ms. Bennett is looking forward to moving on with her life,” Katz said.
But Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi touted the settlement as vindicating for the former governor.
“If anyone ever questioned whether this situation was political from the start, today’s taxpayer funded nuisance settlement is proof positive,” he claimed.
Cuomo in December filed a notice that he would sue Bennett for defamation. That case is still pending but a civil complaint — detailing his allegations — has yet to be filed in the case.
Bennett initially filed a federal lawsuit in September 2022 against Cuomo, his top lieutenant Melissa DeRosa and two other aides — but dropped that case in December just days before she was set to give a sworn deposition about her claims.
Bennett said at the time that Cuomo, 67, used the “unlimited” taxpayer funds at his disposal for his legal defense to attack her, causing her to feel she would be “better of dead than endure more of this litigation abuse.”
“After spending over $2.5 million in taxpayer dollars defending the state, Governor Hochul finally settled with Charlotte Bennett, a committed public servant who should’ve had this chapter closed long ago,” said said Erica Vladimer, co-founder of the Sexual Harassment Working Group established by former legislative staffers.
“No amount of money may ever make up for the trauma Charlotte endured, and this unnecessary prolonging of legal proceedings could have easily been avoided.”
In both the case against the state and her federal suit naming Cuomo, Bennett’s claims remained the same. She alleged that Cuomo made inappropriate comments to her and that DeRosa and other staffers tried to sweep the accusations under the rug by transferring her to a lower position.
During one June 5, 2020, meeting in the governor’s office Cuomo allegedly made fun of her wearing a mask during COVID-19, saying that when she breathed it reminded him of the monsters in the movie “Predator,” her suit claimed
She “laughed uncomfortably” — before he prophetically responded: “If I were investigated for sexual harassment, I would have to say I told her she looked like a monster,” the suit alleged.
Bennett also claimed Cuomo asked her invasive questions about her sex life and told her he was “lonely” and willing to date someone over 21, the suit alleged. She was 25 at the time.
Cuomo stepped down in August 2021 amid the sexual harassment scandal and claims that his office hid the true number of nursing home deaths from COVID during the pandemic.
His resignation came two weeks after a report by the attorney general’s office found he had sexually harassed 11 women and created a hostile work environment in his office — a finding which was later backed by the federal prosecutors.
Cuomo has vehemently maintained his innocence.
Other suits filed over the sexual harassment claims include one from a state trooper who accused Cuomo of groping her. That legal battle has cost the state $8.6 million so far, according to Comptroller Tom DiNapoli’s office.
Another $11.7 million has been spent on state investigations, including into Cuomo’s handling of the COVID pandemic and his notorious $5 million pandemic book deal, as well as to cover the cost of defending him in impeachment proceedings.
Former executive assistant Brittany Commisso, who also accused Cuomo of groping her, also has a case against the ex-gov still pending in state court.
Boylan, who accused Cuomo of sexual harassment in December 2020, lauded the fact that Bennett would receive some recompense.
“I am glad the state finally did what Andrew Cuomo will not – accept responsibility for the harm his harassment caused Charlotte. Proud of her courage always,” she said Friday.
— Additional reporting by Craig McCarthy