Leah McSweeney Drops Lawsuit Against Andy Cohen and Bravo

Leah McSweeney, formerly of "Real Housewives of New York City," has dismissed her lawsuit against Bravo boss Andy Cohen and the television network. The legal filing, which had accused Cohen and Bravo of coercing her to drink alcohol after she had achieved sobriety, was settled with prejudice on Friday.

McSweeney, 44, filed the lawsuit in February 2024. The dismissal means she cannot refile the same claims against Cohen, 58, and the network. All parties involved agreed to the settlement, according to legal filings reviewed by People.

Gary Adelman, McSweeney's attorney, stated, "We are extremely satisfied with the outcome and we are proud of Leah and her perseverance." Representatives for Cohen and McSweeney did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The legal proceedings involved several allegations beyond the coercion claim. In June 2025, McSweeney alleged that Cohen had abused his power as executive producer to orchestrate negative press against her. She claimed that Cohen directed or induced several Bravo stars to publicly label her a liar in retaliation for her lawsuit.

Court filings mentioned over 20 members of the "Real Housewives" franchise, including Luann de Lesseps, Kyle Richards, Melissa Gorga, Kandi Burruss, and Dorinda Medley. McSweeney's filing asserted that these women spread false information to gain favor with Cohen, hoping it would advance their careers. The filing cited statements from Lisa Vanderpump, Heather Dubrow, and Margaret Josephs, who had expressed support for Cohen and criticism of McSweeney's lawsuit.

Earlier allegations in McSweeney's lawsuit also claimed that Cohen had used cocaine with some "Real Housewives" cast members and provided preferential treatment to certain stars. Cohen had previously demanded a retraction of these claims, threatening a defamation suit, which McSweeney argued was further retaliation.

Two unnamed "Housewives" stars reportedly told McSweeney that Cohen used cocaine. The filing also referenced past allegations from former "Real Housewives of Atlanta" star Nene Leakes and comedian Kathy Griffin, who also accused Cohen of drug use.

McSweeney's lawyer previously stated that the later filing "buttressed [her] retaliation claim" and that "Leah looks forward to discovery and depositions which she expects will be very revealing."

In March 2025, Judge Lewis J. Liman had ruled that McSweeney could proceed with only a few parts of her lawsuit, while dismissing most of the claims. Cohen subsequently filed a motion to have the entire lawsuit dismissed in April.