Dave Portnoy has leapt to Stefon Diggs’ defense by highlighting the ‘moral integrity’ of the New England Patriots amid claims the football star assaulted his personal chef.
Patriots receiver Diggs, 32, is accused of slapping and choking his chef during a financial argument at his residence in the Boston suburb of Dedham on December 2, it was revealed on Tuesday.
According to the incident report provided to the Daily Mail, the woman said he entered her unlocked bedroom, grabbed her from behind and ‘tried to choke her using the crook of his elbow around her neck.’
One of Diggs’ attorneys, David Meier, released a statement saying the accuser’s claims are ‘unsubstantiated, uncorroborated, and were never investigated – because they did not occur.’ The Patriots also insist they are standing by their player after he denied the allegations.
After he was charged with felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery, Portnoy – a lifelong Patriots fan – took to social media to give his take on the claims against Diggs.
And in a near three-minute long video, the Barstool Sports founder repeatedly used the phrase ‘innocent until proven guilty’ while suggesting New England’s support for the wideout is significant.
Dave Portnoy has leapt to Stefon Diggs’ defense amid claims he assaulted his personal chef
Diggs, pictured with girlfriend Cardi B, allegedly slapped and choked his chef earlier this month
‘First of all, in this great country of ours, America, it’s innocent until proven guilty. And what team won the first Super Bowl after 9/11, that brought this country together and stood up for everything great about this country? The Patriots,’ Portnoy argued.
‘So I believe in the rules of this country, innocent until proven guilty. I also know no team has taken the higher road, had better moral integrity than the New England Patriots.
‘Aaron Hernandez. The second he got accused of murdering a bunch of people, before you could even say double homicide he was cut, he was gone. We don’t care, wins [or] losses, we look for good people, good humans.
‘But again, this is innocent until proven guilty.’
Diggs’ accuser told police on December 16 she feared she ‘could have blacked out,’ before being thrown down onto the bed by him. She initially hesitated to identify him to police ‘due to his fame,’ according to the incident report.
The chef told cops on December 16 that she began working for Diggs, the boyfriend of rapper Cardi B, around July 20. Her employment was supposed to last through the end of the ongoing NFL season.
Initially, she explained, she was supposed to be paid weekly via wire transfer, but those payments soon became monthly, leading to some friction between herself and Diggs. She also claimed she’s still owed a month’s pay from the former All-Pro receiver.
In early November, she was told by Diggs to leave the residence and ‘go home’ for a week so he could entertain guests. However, she claimed, he did not provide any financial assistance for her to find a flight. And since she did not ask for the time off, the accuser explained to police that she still hoped to be paid for that week.
The alleged incident was said to have taken place at residence (pictured) in Dedham
Diggs has denied the allegations against him, while the Patriots say they support their player
‘She said that is standard in this type of work arrangement, unless the employee asks for the time off,’ read the police report.
The dispute over her pay escalated over purported text messages, which she shared with Dedham police.
Following the alleged assault, the accuser said she left her position and stayed with a friend until December 9, when she returned to Dedham to get her property. At the time, she claimed to police, Diggs told her to take up their financial dispute with his assistant, who asked her to sign a non-disclosure agreement. She told police on December 16 that she refused that request.
Portnoy went on to claim that anyone without the luxury of a private chef should not comment on Diggs’ situation.
‘Another thing… I have a personal chef, I just hired one. A lot of you people out there probably don’t have personal chefs, you don’t know the intricacies of working with a personal chef,’ he continued.
‘Again, innocent until proven guilty. I find it peculiar that a personal chef can have all of these back wages owed and still be cooking. If you’re owed all this money and the guy is not paying, you stop cooking or you’re on a salary and the money’s getting paid. So how do you have so many back wages that suddenly you’re getting choked out?’
‘Again, I don’t know the details,’ Portnoy concluded. ‘I’m just saying before we pass judgement, in this country of ours, where the Patriots won the first Super Bowl after 9/11 and stand for America, the very word ‘patriot’ what we fight for, let’s give this a second before we pass judgement.
‘Innocent until proven guilty, and if you’ve never had a personal chef you really shouldn’t weigh in here.
‘I hope for the sake of everybody, the chef, Stefon Diggs, this is all a bunch of malarkey.’
Diggs welcomed his first child with rapper and partner Cardi B earlier this month
Defense attorney Michael DiStefano argued to have the police report impounded on Tuesday at Dedham District Court, but that motion was rejected. Additionally, DiStefano said Diggs has made a financial offer to settle the dispute with the victim, who remains unidentified publicly.
He is set to be arraigned on January 23 – days before the AFC Championship is scheduled to be played. The Patriots have already clinched a playoff berth entering the final week of the NFL season.
Diggs’ status for Sunday’s season finale against the visiting Miami Dolphins remains unchanged.
The father of Cardi B’s fourth child has denied the allegations to the team, as Patriots spokespeople revealed in a statement provided to the Daily Mail.
‘The New England Patriots are aware of the accusations that have been made regarding Stefon Diggs,’ the statement began. ‘Stefon has informed the organization that he categorically denies the allegations.
‘We support Stefon. We will continue to gather information and will cooperate fully with the appropriate authorities and the NFL as necessary. Out of respect for all parties involved, and given that this is an ongoing legal matter, we will have no further comment at this time.’
Likewise, an NFL statement acknowledged the charges, but offered little else: ‘We are aware of the matter and have been in contact with the club. We have no further comment at this time.’
