NBA star Kristaps Porzingis reportedly accused of rape in New York
Kristaps Porzingis attends an Oklahoma City Thunder vs. New York Knicks game at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 21, 2019, in New York City. (Getty Images)
FOX NEWS - Former New York Knicks player Kristaps Porzingis has been accused of raping a woman in New York just hours after he suffered a career-stalling knee injury during a game last year, reports said Saturday.
The woman made her claim to police Thursday, more than a year after the alleged assault. She told police that she visited Porzingis' Manhattan penthouse at his invitation around 2 a.m. on Feb. 7, 2018, the New York Post reported, citing law enforcement sources. She reportedly lived in the same building.
The woman reportedly told police she waited over a year to come forward because she had been in discussions with Porzingis over a $68,000 hush-money payment intended for her brother’s college tuition, a source told the Post. The accuser is considered “believable,” according to the source.
A lawyer for Porzingis, who now plays for the Dallas Mavericks, said the player denies the allegation “unequivocally.” He said they alerted federal law enforcement in December to the accuser’s “extortionate demands.”