Former CNN anchor Chris Cuomo wants $90m from CNN

Chris Cuomo is seeking a substantial sum from CNN, sources claim. Photo / Getty Images

Chris Cuomo was fired from his position at CNN but that isn't stopping him from demanding as much as $60 million (NZ$90 million) from his former employer.

Cuomo was axed from his position for assisting his brother, New York governor Andrew Cuomo, in fending off sexual harassment allegations. And now that his boss Jeff Zucker has been ousted, Chris is determined to get a hefty settlement, the New York Post reports.

Zucker resigned abruptly in February after his consensual relationship with another network executive came to light during the investigation into Chris Cuomo's conduct.

Sources told the Post Cuomo is ready to claim Zucker was aware of his dealings with the governor and also had his own "inappropriate dealings" with the New York politician.

Cuomo has US $18 million left on his contract, but is determined to get tens of millions more, insiders say.

"Chris insists he never did anything for his brother Andrew that Zucker didn't know about," a source told the Post.

"His camp believes Zucker wasn't fired for an inappropriate relationship with Allison Gollust. Everybody knew about that and nobody cared.

"What he believes happened is WarnerMedia found something in their investigation into Chris, perhaps internal memos or documents which revealed more about Zucker's involvement with Andrew Cuomo. Gollust was just a convenient excuse.

"He could ask for as much as $80 million but CNN isn't going to pay that. But there's an argument he could ask for as much as $60 million," the source added, citing he intends to recover loss of income from the nearly two decades he believes he has left in his career.

A second source said he wants "Megyn Kelly money", referring to the US$69 million settlement Kelly received from NBC in 2019 after the fallout from her defending blackface on her show.

Chris Cuomo, at the time CNN's most popular prime-time anchor, was fired in December when it was revealed in documents released by New York Attorney General Letitia James that his behind-the-scenes role helping craft his brother's response to harassment charges was more extensive than previously acknowledged, the Associated Press reports.

James' office found that Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed at least 11 women. The former governor resigned in August to avoid a likely impeachment trial.

It was revealed in December Cuomo was preparing to sue his former employer for US$18 million left on his contract on the grounds that CNN president Jeff Zucker knew of his involvement in his brother's sex pest investigation.

- Additional reporting AP