(Boston) New England Patriots star receiver Stefon Diggs is charged with strangulation and other criminal offenses in connection with a dispute with his former chef, police said.
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The charges were revealed after a court hearing in Dedham, Massachusetts, on Tuesday. Diggs is charged with strangulation or suffocation (felony) and assault (misdemeanor).
Diggs’ attorney, David Meier, said in a statement that his client “categorically denies these allegations.”
Meier said the allegations are unfounded and uncorroborated. The initial appearance is scheduled for January 23.
“The timing and motivations for these allegations are abundantly clear: They are the direct result of a financial dispute between an employee and her employer that was not resolved to the employee’s satisfaction,” Meier wrote.
“The New England Patriots are aware of the charges against Stefon Diggs. The latter informed the organization that he categorically refutes these allegations,” the club responded in a press release.
“We support Stefon. We are continuing our investigation and will cooperate fully with the relevant authorities and the NFL, as appropriate. Out of respect for the parties involved, and given that this is an ongoing legal proceeding, we will make no further comment at this time. »
According to the police report, a woman came to the Dedham police station on December 16.
She said that two weeks earlier, while working as Diggs’ live-in chef, Diggs had entered her room and lost his temper during a discussion about money. The woman told police that Diggs slapped her, she tried to push him away and he then tried to strangle her by squeezing her neck with the crook of his elbow.
“She said he was behind her with his arm around her,” wrote Officer Kenneth J. Ellis. She said she had trouble breathing and thought she was going to lose consciousness. »
Diggs threw her on a bed and lied when she told him she hadn’t been paid, Ellis said.
The chef was demanding payment for a week in November when Diggs was having guests and she had to go home, Ellis said.
The woman left the residence in Dedham, then returned on December 9 to collect her belongings. At that point, she told police, Diggs referred her to her assistant, who told her she had to sign a confidentiality agreement before being paid. She refused to sign it, police said.
The woman was reluctant to press charges until last week, Ellis wrote, when “she let me know that she had changed her mind” and now wanted to pursue criminal charges.
Aged 32, Diggs became an elite wide end with Minnesota and Buffalo between 2018 and 2023. He had six consecutive seasons of more than 1,000 receiving yards, including 1,535 in 2020. After one season with Houston, Diggs signed a three-year, $69 million contract with the Pats.
This year it is 15e in the NFL with 970 yards of catches, for the champions of the AFC East section.
Grammy Award-winning rapper Cardi B has been posting photos in recent months of her newborn from her union with Diggs.
