Former ESPN President John Skipper said he resigned from his role because of a cocaine extortion plot, according to comments he made in an exclusive interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
In the interview, Skipper talked about how he used cocaine and had always been careful about his usage. However, a lapse of judgment led to Skipper’s decision to buy cocaine from a new source, which had big consequences.
“They threatened me, and I understood immediately that threat put me and my family at risk, and this exposure would put my professional life at risk as well,” Skipper said. “I foreclosed that possibility by disclosing the details to my family, and then when I discussed it with Bob, he and I agreed that I had placed the company in an untenable position and as a result, I should resign.”
ESPN had no comment.
Skipper, who resigned on December 18, 2017, could not immediately be reached for comment.