Kirstaps Porzingis was accused this week of sexual assault by a 29-year-old woman. According to emails sent to the New York Knicks, the woman — who lived in the same apartment building as Porzingis — told the Knicks that she went to the player’s apartment to get his autograph in the late-night hours after Porzingis suffered a torn ACL at Madison Square Garden on February 6, 2018. After what the woman called an “extremely aggressive encounter,” she claims Porzingis agreed to pay her $68,000.
Porzingis Accuser Says Knicks Should Have ‘Mediated’ with Star
The woman reached out to the Knicks eight months after the alleged incident. After documented communication with the franchise’s legal staff in late October to early November, she referred the woman to Porzingis’ personal legal representation. At the time, no criminal complaint had been made.
Porzingis’ attorney, Roland G. Riopelle, said in a statement to ESPN he believes the document is “a forgery.” He added that he has been contacted by the New York County District Attorney’s Office about the sexual assault allegations and that he and his client plan to fully cooperate with the investigation.
“We have been contacted by the district attorney’s office, and we are cooperating fully with their investigation,” Riopelle said through a spokesman. “We have agreed to provide the district attorney’s office with the materials that we previously provided to the federal authorities in support of our extortion complaint. We are confident that, after the district attorney reviews these materials, they will recognize that the complaint made in this case is completely meritless.”
30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW
Porzingis is no longer with the Knicks after being traded to the Dallas Mavericks on January 31. The 23-year-old Latvian star has not played this season while he continues rehabbing the aforementioned knee injury.
Michele Roberts, executive director of the National Basketball Players Association, issued a statement Sunday: “We have been aware of these allegations for some time, have evaluated the accuser’s claims and, based on what is presently before us, stand with Kristaps.”
In an email, the woman asked the Knicks’ legal team to not go public with the information. She added, “I will litigate this matter if the Knicks legal team fails to properly mediate in private.”
The Knicks appeared to end communication with the woman in early November. In an email dated November 6, the Knicks’ legal staff informed the woman that Porzingis had “decided to retain counsel to represent him and they will be in touch with you shortly. The New York Knicks will not have any further involvement on Kristaps’ behalf.”
