ESPN has obtained emails and text messages that provide more information about the rape allegation made against Mavericks star Kristaps Porzingis. The alleged rape was reported to the NYPD last week by a woman who lived in Porzingis’s building when he played for the Knicks. ESPN also has the details of a handwritten agreement in which Porzingis allegedly agreed to contribute $68,000 to a college fund for the accuser’s brother, but Porzingis’s attorney claims that the document is a forgery.
As the New York Post reported over the weekend, the woman reported the alleged rape to the NYPD last Thursday. She claims the assault took place in Porzingis’s apartment in the early morning of Feb. 7, 2018, just hours after Porzingis had suffered a torn ACL during a game at Madison Square Garden. According to text messages reviewed by ESPN, Porzingis invited the woman up to his apartment and told her that he was “drunk.” That is when the woman claims she had an “extremely aggressive encounter” with Porzingis, according to an email she sent to the Knicks that was reviewed by ESPN. The alleged agreement between the woman and Porzingis was written that same day. From ESPN:
In the handwritten letter that she described as a contractual agreement with Porzingis for payment of $68,000 — a copy of which was obtained by ESPN — Porzingis’ name is misspelled and it is unclear whether the signature belongs to him.
In the alleged agreement, the woman wrote: “This agreement effective February 7, 2018, acknowledges the fact that an unexpected escalated sexual intercourse due to an inevitable physical attraction on the part of Kristap (sic) occurred subsequently, warrants compensation payable towards (the woman’s) siblings college tuition in the amount of $68,000. ...
“ ... Mr. Kristap (sic) willingly offered several compensations to (the woman) including business investments. (The woman) ultimately settled with Mr. Kristap’s (sic) offer of a $68,000 check.”
In a statement to ESPN on Sunday, Riopelle said: “Mr. Porzingis denies signing the alleged contract, which we believe is a forgery. When asked to produce the original contract for handwriting analysis, the complainant declined to do so.”
According to ESPN, the woman initially approached the New York Knicks in October 2018 to ask them to help get her the $68,000 she says Porzingis agreed to pay her:
In an Oct. 30, 2018, email to the Knicks, the woman wrote: “After the extremely aggressive encounter, he was very apologetic, loving and caring ... hence, the offer he made to pay my (little) bro’s tuition + more. ... Although how he treated me was horrendous, as a Knicks fan, I do not want him to get him in any trouble with the law. I stayed back and enjoyed the rest of the time I spent with him. It’s crucial to note the fun times I had with him doesn’t negate the fact that he offered to compensate me as a soothing gift even though I didn’t ask him to.” The woman said she stayed with Porzingis until 11 a.m. the day after the alleged assault.
ESPN reports that one of the woman’s emails to the Knicks included pictures of “hair loss and broken nose cartilage” from when Porzingis hit her during the alleged assault. The woman also claimed that she had to pay $10,000 for corrective surgery after the assault.
ESPN reports that the Knicks ceased communication with the woman in November 2018, and told the woman that Porzingis had retained legal counsel.
[ESPN]