Activist group reportedly paid $25K in hush money after leader accused of sexual misconduct
A prominent prison-reform activist made lewd sexual advances on at least three women, forcing his non-profit to shell out thousands of dollars in hush money, it was revealed Friday.
Glenn E. Martin suddenly departed JustLeadershipUSA in December as the group announced that it had “reluctantly accepted” the founder’s resignation.
But the New York Times reported Friday night that three women accused Martin of predatory advances and one of them got a $25,000 payout to keep quiet.
That woman said Martin groped and propositioned her in August, 2015. She was willing to breach a confidentiality agreement to support other women also allegedly targeted by him.
“I joined JLUSA to empower people and instead had all the power taken away from me,” she told the paper.
“I was rendered powerless and silenced while he was empowered with an even bigger microphone.”
In a carefully worded statement posted on its site Friday, JustLeadershipUSA said it investigated the allegations against Martin and found no wrongdoing by the organization.
“In late 2017, Glenn E. Martin, the founder and former president of JustLeadershipUSA (JLUSA) informed the Board of Directors that he was facing general allegations of misconduct,” according to the group.
“The board initiated an independent investigation to ensure that JLUSA provided a safe and appropriate work environment. The investigation resulted in no discovery of wrongdoing at JLUSA. In December 2017, Mr. Martin decided that it would be in the best interest of the organization for him to resign.”
The woman who got $25,000 and a second victim both said Martin came on to them at his Harlem apartment, where JustLeadershipUSA ran its early operations.
That second woman said Martin masturbated in front of her in early 2016.
The third accuser said of a February, 2017 encounter with Martin: “He tried to kiss me. He grabbed my neck. He tried to pull my pants down.”
Martin’s lawyer Keith White denied the stories about his client, saying “These allegations are simply not true.”