Tucker Carlson’s top producer preyed on male Fox News staffer, shoved his tongue down man’s throat – then retaliated against him when rebuffed, while network discouraged complaints, lawsuit alleges

A former Fox News employee has filed a lawsuit against the network and executive producer Tucker Carlson for sexual assault, claiming the network prevented him from reporting on it.

The lawsuit, filed Monday in the Southern District of New York, alleged that Andrew Delancey, a former regional producer at Fox News Edge, was sexually assaulted by Tucker Carlson's Senior Executive Producer Justin Wells.

At the time of the alleged assault, Wells was a producer for Greta Van Susteren's On the Record until 2016. He then helped Carlson launch his primetime show and became his “right-hand man” when he was promoted to Senior Executive Producer and Vice President. until Carlson's resignation in April.

Wells was fired at the same time as Carlson, but now works as a producer on Carlson's new X-chat show.

Delancey alleged that Wells first contacted him in 2007 through a Facebook group for Fox News employees when Delancey was working at Fox 13 Tampa Bay and Wells was a producer at Fox 5 NYC.

According to the lawsuit, Wells told Delancey that he had “got his attention,” began sending messages to show he knew powerful people and encouraged Delancey to move to New York.

Andrew Delancey, a former regional producer at Fox News Edge, claims he was sexually assaulted by Tucker Carlson's Senior Executive Producer Justin Wells (pictured)

At the time of the alleged assault, Wells (left) was a producer for Greta Van Susteren's show until 2016. He then helped Carlson (right) launch his primetime show

In September 2008, Delancey started working at Fox News in New York City, where Wells reportedly showered him with gifts.

When Delancey realized it was difficult to live on his salary in the Big Apple, he claims Wells connected him with an interview at another network and put in a good word for him at Fox.

“Wells was not reluctant to remind Mr. Delancey that he had a higher status at the network and could, in turn, influence Mr. Delancey's career trajectory,” the lawsuit alleged.

The alleged attack occurred a month after Delancey started at Fox News, when he met Wells to go out for drinks with colleagues.

Delancey claimed Wells invited him to his apartment for a cocktail before heading out.

According to the lawsuit, “Wells aggressively pushed Mr. Delancey onto his bed, where he forcibly pushed his tongue into Mr. Delancey's mouth.”

“Wells soon began undoing the buttons and attempting to remove Mr. Delancey's jeans as the assault progressed. At the same time, Wells aggressively grabbed Mr. Delancey's genitals, causing him severe pain.”

Delancey claimed to have shouted “no” and asked to leave the apartment and see the roof of the building where he claimed Wells tried to grope him again.

The lawsuit alleged that Delancey's supervisor told him that he could not go to the human resources department for anything and that they could not be trusted.

A week after the alleged assault, Delancey claimed he didn't get the job from the interview Wells arranged for him at another network.

He claimed Well told him he was 'not thinking straight' and 'was screwing' [himself] over' for not giving in to Wells' demands.

Amid the Me Too movement, Delancey posted on Facebook about his alleged attack, claiming that Wells had contacted him asking who attacked him.

The lawsuit is being filed under the New York Adult Survivors Act.

Fox News signage outside its New York headquarters in 2022. The lawsuit alleged that Fox News prevented Delancey from reporting the alleged attack on human resources

Tucker Carlson said in a statement about the new lawsuit: “If you wait 15 years to settle a civil suit, no one should take you seriously.”

“This meritless legal action was filed 15 years after the alleged incident and just days before the extended statute of limitations would have begun,” Wells' attorney Harmeet Dhillon told The everyday beast.

'Mr. Wells unequivocally denies the allegations and will vigorously contest them. This is yet another attempt by a law firm with a history of suing Fox and its former employees to cash in on frivolous charges.”

Carlson said in a statement released by Wells' attorney: “If you believe you have been the victim of a sex crime, you generally have a moral obligation to alert the police so it doesn't happen to someone else.” '

'If you wait fifteen years to capitalize on a civil suit, no one should take you seriously. I certainly won't do that.'

Fox News did not respond to a request for comment.