This aligns with how the situation was described to me, with the exception that he was actually trying to help her get a job at Google, but she was turned down

This aligns with how the situation was described to me, with the exception that he was actually trying to help her get a job at Google, but she was turned down by the hiring manager (not Richard) and was unhappy about it. It was terrible timing given the other stuff that was going on with Google at the time, and he sort of got swept up in all that. I do agree with Richard's statement that he had a lapse in judgement. I think it's critically important to keep personal and professional life strictly separate, especially as an executive.