A high-profile dispute between Wellington International’s former CEO and the employee who accused him of battery is officially over.
In a joint statement released to WLRN on Wednesday, Lenore Brown, the Director of Sponsorships, said she is voluntarily dropping her civil claims against former CEO Murray Kessler.
Kessler was fired from the equestrian venue earlier this year following an independent investigation. The statement notes that no money or other consideration was exchanged.
According to a Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office report, his termination stemmed from a February incident at the Wellington VIP Club, where Brown originally accused Kessler of battering her.
The allegations prompted an independent investigation, which ultimately led to Kessler’s abrupt termination and sent shockwaves across the growing equestrian sports community.
The announcement said both parties believe the dispute was "inappropriately handled by Wellington Lifestyle Partners (WLP)" and that "more constructive resolution were lost as the matter escalated."
Kessler's statement read, in part, “Those who have worked alongside me throughout my career know the values by which I have always conducted myself," he said. "I am grateful that Lenore and I have reached a better understanding of the circumstances surrounding this matter and can now move forward.”
Lenore's statement read, in part, “As I have come to understand more fully the circumstances surrounding this matter, including aspects of WLP’s handling of the situation that were not previously known to me, I now believe that what began as a misunderstanding was escalated into a deeply distressing and adversarial experience."
READ MORE: ‘Stop bullying us’: Broward County shelves sheriff's $5.8 million budget request as feud escalates
This is a News In Brief report. Visit WLRN News for in-depth reporting from South Florida and Florida news.
