New York, October 24 (RHC)-- In the United States, former Fox News host Bill O’Reilly secretly settled a sexual harassment claim for $32 million in January -- the sixth and by far the largest such settlement during O’Reilly’s tenure at Fox.  

Despite the settlement, Fox News renewed O’Reilly’s contract in February, agreeing to pay him $25 million a year before mounting scandals finally forced him from the network in April.

The settlement came after longtime Fox News contributor Lis Wiehl accused O’Reilly of repeated harassment, a non-consensual sexual relationship, and of sending her unwanted pornographic emails.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Times reports that 38 women are accusing Hollywood screenwriter and director James Toback of sexual assault and harassment.

In separate interviews, the women describe how Toback would lure them to a hotel room or movie trailer with the promise of making them a Hollywood star, before masturbating in front of them or making unwanted sexual contact.  Toback denied the charges, telling the L.A. Times he had never met any of the 38 women, or if he had, he didn’t remember them.