The former king of morning television, Matt Lauer, now lives in the shadows of a Hamptons estate, a man who will never work again in the industry he once dominated. Fired from NBC’s Today Show in November 2017 after a single sexual assault complaint, Lauer’s fall was as swift as it was devastating. The 24-hour firing sent shockwaves through the media world, but the details that emerged in the days that followed were even more damning.
A secret button under his desk, multiple victims, and allegations stretching back decades painted a picture of a predator hiding in plain sight. Today, we reveal the full scope of his downfall and the quiet life he leads now, far from the cameras that once adored him.
The scandal that ended Lauer’s career began quietly during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. A young NBC employee later told the network that Lauer had sexually assaulted her in his hotel room. Her name was Brooke Nevills, and her account stayed private until journalist Ronan Farrow exposed it in his 2019 book, “Catch and Kill.”
That moment in Sochi triggered a chain reaction that destroyed everything Lauer had built over two decades.
When NBC received the complaint, they launched an immediate internal investigation. On November 29, 2017, less than 24 hours after receiving the report, NBC fired Lauer. The speed of his exit shocked everyone.
His co-hosts Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb learned of the firing just minutes before they had to announce it live on air. They looked stunned and emotional as they delivered the news to millions of viewers.
Within 24 hours, at least three more women came forward with their own stories of harassment. Their accounts showed a clear pattern of behavior that had gone on for years. Some women said they had tried to report him before, but no one listened.
Many were too afraid to speak out because Lauer had so much power at the network. As the stories piled up, it became obvious this wasn’t just about one man, but about a workplace culture that enabled the abuse.
The most disturbing details came from a Variety investigation. After speaking to dozens of current and former NBC employees, reporters revealed that Lauer had a secret button under his desk that let him lock his office door from the inside. NBC claimed it was a standard security feature, but several women said he used it to trap them.
The article also said he gave female employees sex toys as gifts, exposed himself to colleagues, and interrogated women about their sex lives. If they resisted him, he mocked or punished them.
One of the most harrowing stories went back to 2001. A former Today Show producer said Lauer called her to his office during the workday. After she walked in, he pressed the hidden button and locked the door behind her.
He told her to unbutton her blouse, then assaulted her. She said she passed out during the attack and woke up on the floor with her pants undone. Lauer’s assistant had to take her to a nurse.
She didn’t report it because she was afraid it would ruin her career.
When NBC fired him, they made it clear he was gone for good. The network’s chairman sent a memo to staff at around 6:30 in the morning, just before the day’s live broadcast. The message said Lauer had violated NBC’s standards and that they believed it wasn’t an isolated case.
They also refused to pay out the rest of his contract. Lauer had a $20 million annual deal, but NBC cut him off immediately without any severance.
Even more shocking were the claims that NBC management had known about Lauer’s behavior for years. Some staffers said complaints had been ignored. One former employee said outright that management had protected him because he was too important to the network.
NBC denied that they knew anything in advance, but the damage was already done. People began to question who else had looked the other way and how many others had suffered in silence.
After the firing, Lauer disappeared almost completely from public life. By 2018, many of his closest friends had cut ties. People who once called and texted regularly stopped hearing from him.
He didn’t return messages. He rarely left home. The man who used to walk red carpets and host high-profile events suddenly vanished.
He retreated to his estate in the Hamptons, a massive waterfront property he had bought from Richard Gere in 2016 for $36. 5 million.
The estate, called Strongheart Manor, had 12 bedrooms, 12 bathrooms, over 14,000 square feet of space, and every luxury imaginable, including a tea house by the water and a heated pool. At one point, he listed it for $44. 8 million.
It finally sold in 2022 for $40. 9 million. Locals would occasionally spot him doing normal things, driving his kids to school, picking up breakfast, but he always looked tired.
He was trying to blend in.
His marriage to Dutch model Annette Ro came to an end almost immediately after the scandal broke. They had been married for 21 years and had three children together. The divorce took nearly two years and became final on September 7, 2019.
He reportedly agreed to all her terms without a fight. She walked away with as much as $20 million in assets, including full ownership of their horse farm. They continued to co-manage the farm, and the custody arrangement was described as peaceful.
Things got worse in October 2019 when Ronan Farrow published “Catch and Kill.” The book included serious allegations against Lauer, describing an alleged rape of former NBC producer Brooke Nevills during the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Lauer denied it, insisting the relationship had been consensual.
But the book went deeper than just one story. It painted a picture of a network that had protected Lauer for years, describing a culture of silence where complaints were buried and powerful people looked the other way.
In 2020, after two years of silence, Lauer finally responded with a long open letter. He denied the allegations from Nevills, saying the relationship had been inappropriate but not criminal. He accused Ronan Farrow of sloppy journalism, claiming the book ignored facts and failed to present his side fairly.
He said the media was more interested in sensationalism than truth. He admitted he had made mistakes, but also criticized how the public and press had treated him.
The letter was detailed and emotional, but it didn’t change much. Most people saw it as a weak attempt to save his reputation. Farrow stood by his reporting.
The damage had already been done. As of 2025, Lauer is still living in the Hamptons and also spends time in New Zealand. His net worth remains around $80 million, even after paying out a huge divorce settlement.
He hasn’t returned to television or launched any new projects. He doesn’t need to.
In his personal life, something unexpected happened in 2019. Not long after his divorce, he began dating Shamin Abas, a longtime friend and luxury brand executive. They had known each other for about 20 years before the romance started.
Despite intense interest from the media, they have kept things private. They travel together, attend events occasionally, and split their time between New York and the Hamptons. Their relationship has lasted more than five years now.
By 2024, something else shifted. Lauer started reconnecting with old friends. After years of isolation, he began reaching out, sending messages, and making calls.
People close to him say he seemed more relaxed. He was spending more time with his children and had found a rhythm in his new life. There are no signs of a comeback, no signs of regret either, just a man trying to move forward away from the glare.
The man who once woke up millions of Americans will never work again, and his life today is a quiet, lonely luxury far from the spotlight he once commanded.
