New England Patriots star wide receiver Stefon Diggs is facing strangulation and other criminal charges in connection with a dispute with his former chef that allegedly happened earlier this month, police have said.
News of the charges emerged after a court hearing on Tuesday in Dedham, Massachusetts. New England Patriots' star is charged with felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery.
Diggs' lawyer, David Meier, said in an emailed statement that Diggs "categorically denies these allegations."
Meier said the allegations never occurred, describing them as unsubstantiated and uncorroborated.
A police narrative in a court filing about the case said a woman came to the Dedham Police Department on December 16 to say that two weeks earlier, while working as a private chef for Diggs, he came into her bedroom and became angry during a discussion about money.
The woman told police Diggs "smacked her across the face," she tried to push him away and then he "tried to choke her using the crook of his elbow around her neck.
"She said that he was behind her with his arm wrapped around her," wrote officer Kenneth J. Ellis. "She said that she did feel like she had trouble breathing and that she felt like she could have blacked out."
Diggs threw her on a bed and said "lies" when she told him she had not been paid, Ellis wrote.
The chef sought payment for a week in November when Diggs was having houseguests and she had to go home.
The woman "left her position" and the home in Dedham but returned on December 9 to retrieve her property.
At that point, she told police, Diggs referred her to his assistant, who told the woman she had to sign a non-disclosure agreement before she would be paid. She did not sign it, police said.
The woman was reluctant to file charges until last week, but changed her mind "a few days ago" and wanted to seek criminal charges.
In a statement, the Patriots said: "The New England Patriots are aware of the accusations that have been made regarding Stefon Diggs. Stefon has informed the organisation 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."
Diggs, 32, established himself as one of the NFL's best wide receivers during a run with Minnesota and Buffalo from 2018 to 2023, when he had six consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons and was selected to the Pro Bowl four times.
After a lacklustre stint in Houston last year, Diggs ended up in New England, signing a three-year, $69m (£51m) deal in free agency that guaranteed him $26m (£19m).
Diggs has proven a reliable target for second-year quarterback Drake Maye and is a big reason why the team has once again clinched the AFC East title as the team heads toward the playoffs.
