After Cuomo, Griffin, another ex-CNN staffer accused of sexual misconduct

Police in Fairfax County, Virginia, have launched a criminal investigation into former CNN producer Rick Saleeby, who stands accused of sexual misconduct involving “potential juvenile victims.”

The Fairfax County Police told Fox News that the investigation was launched on account of “serious allegations involving potential juvenile victims” and that “detectives assigned to the Child Exploitation Squad of the Major Crimes Bureau are leading this investigation.”

Reportedly, the investigation appears to be related to a report by conservative media outlet Project Veritas that alleged that Saleeby had solicited nudes from a 15-year-old girl, and the police confirmed to Fox News that they had been in touch with the media outlet.

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Speaking to media about the development, Matt Dornic, the head of strategic communication for CNN, said that Saleeby, the former senior producer for Jake Tapper’s show ‘The Lead’, had resigned weeks earlier from the network.

The investigation into Saleeby comes on the back of the indictment of former CNN producer John Griffin for his attempts to “induce minors to engage in unlawful sexual activity.” The 44-year-old, who was indicted by a federal grand jury in Vermont earlier in December, had allegedly attempted to lure at least four underage girls into coming to his Vermont home for lessons on “spanking” and “c**k worship.” According to court documents, Griffin also allegedly told the underage girls that a “woman is a woman regardless of her age.” While Griffin has pleaded not guilty to the charges, he faces a potential sentence of 10 years to life imprisonment if convicted.

Griffin, who was fired by CNN immediately after his arrest, had earlier claimed that he was close to former CNN lead anchor Chris Cuomo, who too was fired by the network in early December for reasons related to sexual misconduct.

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Following sexual harassment allegations against Chris’ elder brother, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, CNN fired the anchor for his attempts to aid the defence of his brother. Around the same time, Chris was accused of sexual misconduct too, but the nature of the allegation has not been disclosed yet. Earlier in September, Chris’ former ABC News colleague Shelley Ross alleged that he had groped her at a party in 2005, and the former CNN anchor had then told the media, “I apologized to her then, and I meant it.”