Zuckerberg Has New Problem on His Hands: His Security Chief

Liam Booth accused of sexual misconduct, as well as racist, sexist, homophobic remarks
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted May 31, 2019 10:32 AM CDT
Facebook CEO's Security Chief Faces Slew of Accusations
In this Sept. 20, 2016, file photo, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, smile as they prepare for a speech in San Francisco.   (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)

Two former employees of the household staff of Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, are lobbing some serious allegations against the power couple's security chief. First reported by Business Insider and confirmed by NBC News, Liam Booth, a former Secret Service agent, has been accused of making homophobic, sexist, and racist comments, including about Chan, by his ex-executive assistant and another former member of the Facebook co-founder's staff, per letters from the ex-staffers' attorneys. The Verge details some of the allegations, including that Booth made sexually demeaning comments toward a gay staff member and groped him in public, sexually harassed his ex-assistant—and then fired her for "rolling her eyes in a meeting," among other reasons—and made disparaging remarks about a transgender staffer, including calling that person "it."

Booth is also accused of saying he "didn't trust black people" and making other derogatory remarks about the Black Lives Matter movement. As for Chan, Booth is also said to have made reference to her Chinese ethnicity when talking about how she drives. The two ex-workers, who also accuse another household manager of ignoring their complaints about Booth, are seeking compensation for lost work and damages for emotional distress. "The family office takes complaints of workplace misconduct very seriously and our human resources team promptly investigates all such matters," a spokesperson for the Zuckerberg-Chan family office tells NBC, adding Booth has been placed on administrative leave. Time notes Booth has also worked with the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the family's charity. (More Mark Zuckerberg stories.)

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