New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs is facing serious legal allegations stemming from an alleged incident on Dec. 2, with prosecutors pursuing a felony charge of strangulation and a misdemeanor charge of assault.
A motion hearing took place Tuesday morning at Dedham District Court in Massachusetts. Diggs’ arraignment is scheduled for Jan. 23, the Friday before the AFC Championship Game.
According to a police report, a woman came forward on Dec. 16 and told authorities she had been working as a private chef at Diggs’ residence on the date of the alleged incident. She told police that Diggs entered her unlocked bedroom and allegedly struck her across the face following a discussion about money she said she was owed.
The woman reported that when she attempted to push Diggs away, he allegedly tried to choke her by placing his elbow around her neck. Police said she also alleged Diggs later threw her onto a bed and said “lies” when she insisted she had not been paid. After the alleged assault, the woman said she left both her position and the residence and stayed with a friend.
When she returned to the residence on Dec. 9 to retrieve her belongings, the woman told police that Diggs referred her to his assistant, who informed her she would need to sign a nondisclosure agreement before receiving payment. According to the report, she declined to sign the agreement and was not paid.
Authorities said the woman initially did not want to press charges when she first spoke to police on Dec. 16, but decided to do so on Dec. 22.
In a statement, the Patriots said they were aware of the accusations made against Diggs. The NFL also confirmed it is “aware of the matter” and has been in contact with the Patriots and Diggs.
Diggs, 32, signed with New England in March as a free agent on a three-year, $69 million contract. He leads the Patriots with 82 receptions for 970 yards and four touchdowns this season.
The Patriots (13-3) close the regular season Sunday against the Miami Dolphins and are set to enter the AFC playoffs as one of the conference’s top teams.
