The NFL said Monday it is aware that emails released Friday by the Justice Department show connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. New York Giants Co-owner Steve Tisch along with several women and he will look into the matter.
“The league is aware of the reports and Steve’s response. Our office will look into the matter to understand the facts,” the NFL said in a statement.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was asked Monday if Tisch could be subject to discipline from the league.
Regarding the question on discipline, he said, “Maybe you are getting ahead of yourself in the second half.” “We’re going to look at all the facts. We’re going to look at the context of them and try to understand it, we’ll see how it fits within the policy. But let’s get the facts first.”
Asked to clarify whether the NFL was launching an investigation, Goodell said the league needed to gather facts before determining whether to take that step.
“I don’t even know the status of all the releases. What I do know is that three million documents were released last week. Listen, we will continue to look at whatever facts come to light and determine whether we will open an investigation based on those facts,” he said.
Goodell acknowledged that he was concerned about how the scope of that story reflected on the league, but added, “That’s why we have a personal conduct policy and we will look at the facts.”
Tish’s name appears at least 440 times Of the more than 3 million documents released. According to documents included in the wide release of Epstein-related files, most of Tisch’s correspondence with Epstein appears to be from around 2013.
“We had a brief relationship where we exchanged emails about adult women and, beyond that, we discussed movies, philanthropy, and investing,” Tisch said of Epstein in a statement Friday. “I did not accept any of his invitations and never visited his island. As we all know now, he was a terrible person and one I deeply regret associating with.”
The NFL has fined owners in the past, even if it found no illegal activity occurred.
The league’s personal conduct policy reads, “Everyone who is part of the league must refrain from conduct that is detrimental to the integrity of the NFL and the public’s trust.” “It is not enough to avoid being found guilty of a crime in a court of law. We are all held to a high standard and we must conduct ourselves in a way that is responsible, promotes the values of the NFL and is lawful.”
The policy also notes that, “Ownership and club or league management have traditionally been held to a higher standard and will be subject to more significant discipline if the personal conduct policy is violated.”
East carolina panthers And Washington Commanders Owners Jerry Richardson and Dan Snyder were both fined by the NFL following an investigation into workplace misconduct. richardson Fined $2.75 million And Snyder fined $60 million By league.
Tisch, 76, is the Giants’ chairman, co-owner and vice president and has produced dozens of Hollywood films, including “Forrest Gump” and “Risky Business.”
Epstein, a wealthy businessman, was arrested on federal sex trafficking charges in 2019. While awaiting trial, he was found dead in his prison cell on August 10, 2019. The coroner ruled his death a suicide. Epstein was accused of sexually abusing underage girls. In 2008, Epstein was charged in Florida with soliciting a minor for prostitution and became a registered sex offender. He served 13 months of his 18-month jail sentence.
Epstein was famous for his relationships with politicians, celebrities, and business executives. The native of Brooklyn, New York began his career as a financier at Bear Stearns. He later established business operations in the US Virgin Islands. Epstein purchased a 72-acre island called Little St. James for just $8 million in 1998, and it was from there that he allegedly conducted his sex-trafficking operations, known as Epstein Island.
ESPN’s Kalin Kahler, Dan Wetzel and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
