Top aide to Mayor Wu cleared of sexual misconduct charge after external investigation

After a three-week investigation, an external law firm has cleared one of Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s top cabinet members of sexual misconduct allegations.

The external investigation, led by the employment law firm Stoneman, Chandler, and Miller, found there were “no violations of city policy” by Segun Idowu, the city’s chief of economic opportunity and inclusion. That’s according to a letter that was sent to the mayor’s chief of staff and released to the press.

According to the letter, Idowu’s accuser, city hall staffer Marwa Khudaynazar, “declined to participate in the city’s investigation.” As a result, it was conducted by “interviewing available witnesses and reviewing media reports and other relevant documents, including text exchanges between Ms. Khudaynazar and Mr. Idowu.”

The investigation “did not reveal any facts that suggest Mr. Idowu violated the City’s policy prohibiting sexual harassment, either by creating a hostile work environment, or engaging in quid pro quo harassment, or any other workforce policies,” according to the letter.

The letter only offered a three-paragraph summary statement of the “confidential investigation.” The full investigation into Idowu wasn’t made public, and questions remain about the totality of its findings.

An initial, internal review was launched shortly after Boston police arrested Khudaynazar and her boyfriend Chulan Huang — also a city hall staffer — after the couple allegedly fought in the early hours of May 15. Khudaynazar allegedly told Huang that Idowu —his boss — made sexual advances towards her at a bar that night. Officers ultimately charged Khudaynazar with assault and battery on a household member and a police officer. Huang was also charged with assault and battery on a household member, according to a police report.

By May 20, the city concluded its initial review, finding that the staffers “invoke[d] their public positions to avoid consequences of an altercation with police,” Boston’s Chief People Officer Alex Lawrence wrote in a letter to the Boston City Council. Because both mentioned that they worked at City Hall over the course of their exchanges with police, both were fired.

Critics, including some Boston city councilors, slammed the mayor for moving too quickly on the internal review to minimize a political scandal during an election year. Wu and other city officials defended their initial process, and said new information about Idowu’s alleged misconduct came to light through The Boston Globe’s reporting, which prompted the external investigation.

Speaking at an unrelated event Wednesday, Wu said she was satisfied with the latest results.

“ I'm thankful to the external law firm for their work in this, their thorough investigation that's been completed,” she said. “We do not tolerate harassment of any kind in the city of Boston, so it's important to — once these allegations were raised through the media — make sure that they were thoroughly investigated. That is concluded now.”

She added, “The conclusion is that there were no workplace policies that were violated. And I'm glad that this matter is now done.”

Idowu, in a statement sent by his lawyer, said the investigation was based on “politically motivated defamatory accusations and assaults on my character” and that it confirmed he did not “violate any rules, policies, or ethical and legal codes of conduct.”

“The law enforcement-related events that took place on the evening of May 14 quite simply did not involve me,” Idowu said. “While this vindication does not erase the pain that defamatory public statements, text messages, and online commentary has caused me, my family, and my community, I look forward to continuing my work to create greater economic equity across the city unabated and without distraction.”