Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo has filed a defamation lawsuit against Charlotte Bennett, a former staffer from Westchester who accused him of sexual harassment in 2021.

Bennett dropped her federal lawsuit against Cuomo earlier this month, just before she was set to be deposed .

In a statement, Cuomo's attorneys called Bennett's accusations "false and defamatory," stating that she knew the harm she would cause to Cuomo when he was governor.

Bennett's attorneys have accused Cuomo and his team of attempting to silence her.

An investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice found that Cuomo subjected at least 13 state employees to a sexually hostile work environment. Cuomo has denied all wrongdoing.