Commanders will pay D.C. $1 million to settle consumer-protection lawsuit from Dan Snyder era

One of the last remaining items of business dating to the Dan Snyder era has been concluded.

D.C. Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb announced on Monday the settlement of a 2022 lawsuit against the Commanders. The team will pay $1 million to resolve "allegations that under the team’s former ownership . . . it violated [D.C.] consumer protection law by misleading District residents about the team’s investigation into a toxic and abusive workplace culture, including allegations of sexual assault, in order to protect the Commanders’ brand and to keep fans paying for tickets and merchandise."

The lawsuit specifically claimed that prior ownership tried to hide the truth about the internal investigation, in violation of the D.C. Consumer Protection Procedures Act.

“The Commanders’ current owners have commendably opened a new chapter in the team’s history, committing to ensure all employees are protected from abuse and treated with dignity,” Schwalb said in a statement appearing on his office's official website. “Every business operating in the District has an obligation to provide honest information to its customers, and the Commanders’ loyal fanbase deserves no less. I want to thank the victims for coming forward to tell their stories — without their bravery, none of this would have come to light.”

The full settlement agreement can be found here.

Through multiple investigations of the Commanders initiated by the NFL, sufficient evidence was found to pressure Snyder to sell the team. A group led by Josh Harris bought the Commanders in 2023.