A onetime aide to former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state have settled a lawsuit she had filed against the state claiming as her employer it was liable for Cuomo’s alleged sexual harassment and for the actions of his top aides, who failed to take corrective action once she reported it.

Bennett, who became the second woman to publicly accuse him of misconduct, claimed Cuomo subjected her to invasive questions about her personal life and sexual relationships, and once told her he was “lonely” and wanted a girlfriend who lived in Albany, according to the state lawsuit, which Bennett filed in March 2023.

As a result of the settlement, Bennett and her attorneys will receive payments totaling $450,000 for lost pay, personal injury, non-economic damages, legal costs and attorney fees, though the settlement doesn't constitute an admission of liability by the state.

“Ms. Bennett’s allegations were later supported by findings from the New York Attorney General’s Office and the U.S. Department of Justice. Ms. Bennett is looking forward to moving on with her life,” Bennett’s attorney, Debra Katz, said in a statement Friday.

This comes after Bennett voluntarily dropped a federal lawsuit against Cuomo and several of his aides back in December.

Cuomo resigned as governor in August 2021 after state Attorney General Letitia James released the results of an investigation that concluded Cuomo had sexually harassed at least 11 women, including Bennett. Bennett played a critical role in Cuomo's eventual downfall. At the time she came forward with her accusations, only one other woman, Lindsey Boylan, had spoken publicly about being harassed by the governor.

When Bennett initially told her story to The New York Times, Cuomo appeared to acknowledge that he had hurt her with comments inappropriate for a workplace, but denied that he was making sexual advances. He claimed Bennett had misinterpreted his comments.

Rich Azzopardi, a spokesperson for the former governor, said in a statement that, “If anyone ever questioned whether this situation was political from the start, today’s taxpayer-funded nuisance settlement is proof positive.

“If Ms. Bennett had been forced to give a deposition in her case against the State, she would have dropped that lawsuit too because she cannot testify under oath and answer for the evidence obtained – much of which is in her own words through text and video messages she herself sent. Indeed, the State fought against this lawsuit for over two years, characterizing Ms. Bennett’s claims in court documents as ‘petty slights’ and ‘trivial inconveniences,’” Azzopardi also said in his statement. “The State even told the judge that the Attorney General’s report was disputed and not binding upon the State.”

Cuomo, who is running for mayor of New York City, is currently countersuing Bennett, accusing her of defamation and seeking compensatory and punitive damages.