Guess Co-Founder Steps Down Following Kate Upton's Sexual Misconduct Claims

Paul Marciano is the subject of an internal investigation after multiple employees and models, including Kate Upton, made accusations of sexual misconduct against the Guess co-founder.

"The Board of Directors and Mr. Marciano have agreed that Mr. Marciano will relinquish his day to day responsibilities at the Company, on an unpaid basis, pending the completion of the investigation," Guess said in a statement of the 67-year-old businessman.

"I have pledged my full cooperation to the Company, and I have the utmost confidence in our CEO, Victor Herrero, to continue leading the Company during this time," Marciano noted.

Upton, 25, recently revealed Marciano's alleged mistreatment in a shocking interview with TIME.

"After the first day of shooting the Guess Lingerie campaign in July 2010, Paul Marciano said he wanted to meet with me. As soon as I walked in with photographer Yu Tsai, Paul came straight up to me, forcibly grabbed my breasts and started feeling them — playing with them actually," Upton said of Marciano, who denied the incident. "After I pushed him away, he said, 'I'm making sure they're real.'"

And she also went on Good Morning America to discuss the incident.

According to Upton, after the alleged assault, she began dressing in unflattering clothing and would slump her shoulders.

"How did this treatment happen to me?" she questioned.

"You start blaming yourself," added Upton, who said she decided to share her story in order to "prevent that treatment for other girls."

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