Bravo Boss Denies Ex-'RHONY' Star's Cocaine Allegations

Andy Cohen claims Leah McSweeney has no evidence to back up her claims of his drug use.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 9:35pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a shattered mirror reflecting a faint red light, conceptually representing the tension and drama of celebrity culture.The fallout from allegations of drug use by a high-profile TV executive exposes the darker side of the entertainment industry.NYC Today

Bravo executive Andy Cohen is pushing back against former 'Real Housewives of New York' star Leah McSweeney's claims that he used cocaine with other Bravo personalities. In new court filings, Cohen argues that McSweeney's evidence consists only of anonymous sources and unspecified 'public videos,' with no firsthand accounts of him using drugs.

Why it matters

The allegations of drug use by a high-profile TV executive like Cohen could have serious professional and legal consequences if proven true. However, Cohen is aggressively denying the claims and seeking to have them dismissed from McSweeney's ongoing lawsuit against Bravo.

The details

In her original lawsuit, McSweeney claimed she was pressured to drink during 'RHONY' filming despite being sober, and that Cohen gave preferential treatment to Bravo stars who partied with him, including alleged cocaine use. But in new court filings, Cohen argues that McSweeney's evidence is flimsy, consisting only of anonymous sources and unspecified videos, with no instances of him personally witnessing Cohen use cocaine.

  • In March 2026, a federal judge ruled that McSweeney's lawsuit against Bravo would move forward in court, despite the network's attempts to send the case to arbitration.
  • The new court filings from Cohen were submitted in early April 2026 as part of his effort to have the cocaine-related allegations removed from McSweeney's lawsuit.

The players

Andy Cohen

The executive producer of the 'Real Housewives' franchise and a high-ranking executive at Bravo.

Leah McSweeney

A former star of the 'Real Housewives of New York' reality TV series, who has filed a lawsuit against Bravo alleging mistreatment during her time on the show.

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What they’re saying

“Leah's so-called evidence backing up her claims of my cocaine use 'consists of two anonymous cast members who 'privately confirmed' her allegations, one former cast member who called me a 'cocaine head' after she was not recast as a Housewife, and a 'public video' created by an unspecified person that references my supposed cocaine use.”

— Andy Cohen, Bravo Executive

What’s next

A federal judge will decide whether to remove the cocaine-related allegations from McSweeney's lawsuit against Bravo and Cohen.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing tensions between reality TV stars and network executives, as well as the challenges of proving drug use allegations without clear evidence. The outcome could impact how Bravo and other networks handle sensitive claims from talent in the future.