Warner Bros. chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara is stepping down as WarnerMedia continues an investigation into allegations that the studio chairman offered acting roles in exchange for sex.

WarnerMedia, the company formed after AT&T acquired Time Warner, began an investigation after a story in The Hollywood Reporter this month suggested a quid pro quo sexual relationship between an aspiring actress and the studio executive.

Two days before the story was published, WarnerMedia gave Tsujihara an expanded role, adding a portfolio of kids and young adults businesses, including Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Turner Classic Movies, to his position as head of Warner Bros. Entertainment.

Now Tsujihara becomes one of the highest-ranking executives to be felled by sexual-misconduct allegations.

“It is in the best interest of WarnerMedia, Warner Bros., our employees and our partners for Kevin to step down as Chairman and CEO of Warner Bros.,” WarnerMedia CEO John Stankey said in a statement. “Kevin has contributed greatly to the studio’s success over the past 25 years and for that we thank him. Kevin acknowledges that his mistakes are inconsistent with the Company’s leadership expectations and could impact the Company’s ability to execute going forward.”

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WarnerMedia is continuing the investigation with a third-party law firm and Tsujihara’s cooperation, the company says. WarnerMedia did not immediately name a successor to Tsujihara.

The Hollywood Reporter exposé detailed text messages between British actress Charlotte Kirk and Tsujihara that dated to 2013. The messages suggest he made promises to introduce her to influential Hollywood executives and she would be considered for movie and TV roles.

After the story broke, WarnerMedia issued a statement attributed to Kirk, in which the actress denied any inappropriate behavior on the part of Tsujihara. In that statement, she also denied any impropriety on the part of Australian billionaire James Packer, who introduced her to Tsujihara, or director Brett Ratner, who was close to closing a $450-million co-financing deal for Packer and his RatPac Entertainment production company.

In The Hollywood Reporter story, some messages suggested Kirk thought she was used to help close the deal.

Ratner was accused of sexual misconduct in 2017 by multiple women, which he has denied, but which led to Warner Bros. cutting ties with him.

Contributing: The Associated Press

Follow USA TODAY reporter Mike Snider on Twitter: @MikeSnider.