Ex-Goldman Analyst Who Leaked Info Loses Lawsuit Against Harvard

Former Goldman Sachs analyst and Hollywood scriptwriter Damilare Sonoiki lost his suit alleging Harvard University improperly dismissed him from the school and withheld his degree because of accusations of sexual misconduct, according to a federal court ruling Monday in Massachusetts.

Sonoiki pleaded guilty in 2018 to leaking, while at Goldman, nonpublic information about pending mergers to Mychal Kendricks, his friend and an NFL linebacker, in return for cash and tickets to Philadelphia Eagles games. Kendricks also pleaded guilty to charges of insider trading, which prosecutors said made him $1.2 million.

A year later, he sued Harvard, alleging he was inappropriately denied a degree from the university in 2013 because of assault claims filed against him by three female students.

But Sonoiki failed to state viable claims that Harvard breached his contractual rights as outlined in its student handbook and other college materials, or that he was denied basic fairness during the investigation and appeal process, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts said.

Two students filed sexual misconduct complaints against Sonoiki May 28, 2013. The following day, Sonoiki, who wrote for the college’s prestigious humor magazine, the Lampoon, and after his stint at Goldman was hired as a writer for “The Simpsons” television show, was permitted to speak as the male Harvard orator for Class Day. He participated in Harvard’s graduation ceremony May 30, 2013, but didn’t receive his diploma.

A third student also filed a complaint, and the investigation followed.

The court rejected numerous arguments in ruling that the university had jurisdiction over the sexual misconduct investigation and that its procedures were fair.

Harvard provided appropriate procedural protections to Sonoiki consistent with those outlined in the materials, such as giving him adequate notice of the charges against him, the court said.

He was given numerous opportunities to provide written statements to the school’s administrative board, and to respond to the statements made by complainants and adverse witnesses, the court said. As such, he had the opportunity to present his version of the incidents alleged in the complaints.

There is also no indication that Harvard failed to comply with the appeals procedures stated in the contract documents and, consequently, no breach of contract claim exists as to the appeals process, the court said.

The school’s administrative board made its determinations as to the outcome of each complaint against Sonoiki, and he was permitted to appeal those determinations, the court said. As part of this process, Sonoiki submitted written statements to the university’s Faculty Council while it was considering the appeal, the court said.

Kohrman Jackson & Krantz LLP and Nesenoff & Miltenberg LLP represented Sonoiki. O’Melveny & Myers LLP and Todd & Weld represented Harvard.

The case is Sonoiki v. Harvard University, D. Mass., No. 1:19-cv-12172, 6/22/20.