Stefon Diggs, Patriots wide receiver, denies charges of strangulation, assault and battery in Dedham, Massachusetts
Stefon Diggs, a star wide receiver with the New England Patriots, is facing criminal charges after an incident with a personal chef in Dedham, Massachusetts earlier this month.
According to paperwork from Dedham District Court released Tuesday, Diggs is charged with felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery stemming from an incident on December 2.
Diggs has denied the allegations through the Patriots and his own attorney.
Stefon Diggs police report
According to a Dedham police report obtained by WBZ-TV, a woman walked into the police station on December 16 and spoke to an officer about the December 2 incident.
According the woman, she had been having an ongoing text exchange with Diggs over money he owed her. The woman said Diggs had hired her in July as a personal chef for the entire NFL season and she was allowed to stay in a room at his house in Massachusetts.
The woman claimed she was supposed to be paid weekly, but Diggs had been paying her monthly. She believed Diggs still owed her one month's pay as of December 2.
She said that Diggs allegedly walked into her unlocked bedroom and confronted her that day.
"She said that they began to discuss this, which apparently angered the male," police said in the report. "She alleges that the male then smacked her across the face. She said that she tried to push him away. The male then tried to choke her using the crook of his elbow around her neck."
The woman said she had trouble breathing and was worried she would black out, she told police. According to Dedham police, the woman said that she had some redness on her upper chest, but she did not take any photographs to document the injuries.
The officer who took the report told the woman that police could proceed with an investigation and file charges, but the woman declined. She also declined to take out a restraining order against Diggs.
On December 20, the woman spoke to police again. She told the officer that she allegedly received a voicemail and text messages from Diggs' girlfriend.
"The messages stated something to the effect of 'you don't need to do all this. It's not that big of a deal,'" the chef said, according to the police report.
On December 22, she told police she changed her mind and wanted to proceed with charges against Diggs.
Stefon Diggs denies charges
The Patriots told WBZ-TV in a statement that they're "aware of the accusations" regarding Diggs.
"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," the team said.
Diggs' attorney, David Meier released a statement later Tuesday afternoon.
"Stefon Diggs categorically denies these allegations. They are unsubstantiated, uncorroborated, and were never investigated -- because they did not occur," Meier said. "The timing and motivation for making the allegations is crystal clear: they are the direct result of an employee-employer financial dispute that was not resolved to the employee's satisfaction. Stefon looks forward to establishing the truth in a court of law."
Diggs is scheduled to be in court on Friday, January 23 for arraignment.
If the Patriots were to advance in the NFL playoffs, the AFC Championship Game is scheduled for Sunday, January 25.
Chief NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy issued a statement Tuesday afternoon.
"We are aware of the matter and have been in contact with the club. We have no further comment at this time," the statement said.
Who is Stefon Diggs?
Diggs, who played at the University of Maryland in college, signed with the Patriots in March on a three-year, $69 million deal with $26 million guaranteed.
Quickly recovering from a torn ACL he suffered last year with the Houston Texans, Diggs has become a critical piece for quarterback Drake Maye and the Patriots offense.
In 16 games, Diggs has 970 yards and 82 receptions to go along with four touchdowns.
Before the season began, Diggs made headlines when a viral video showed him partying on a boat and handing out an unknown pink substance.
"I had a conversation with [Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel], obviously. He told me he hopes everyone is making good decisions," Diggs said in June after the incident. "I had some conversations with people in the building as well. Everything else is everything else. The particulars are all internal."
Diggs is dating rapper Cardi B, who recently announced that she was having a baby with the wide receiver. The baby was born in November.
Diggs previously played for the Minnesota Vikings, Buffalo Bills and Texans.