CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Months after the NFL announced that it would investigate claims of workplace misconduct against Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson, a victim of Richardson’s alleged misconduct has come forward to Sports Illustrated.
The victim, who remains anonymous, wrote multiple letters in the piece for SI, including to the NFL, Houston Texans owner Bob McNair, Richardson, Panthers head coach Ron Rivera and the next owner of the Panthers. According to the victim, McNair's public comments stating that Richardson told fellow NFL owners his side of the allegations, meant that Richardson broke an alleged non-disclosure agreement with the victim.
On December 17, SI published the powerful expose, detailing the allegations against Richardson just hours before the Panthers hosted the Green Bay Packers. By that night, the Panthers announced that Richardson was putting the team up for sale at the conclusion of the season.
Shortly after the SI report was released, the Panthers announced that they were committed to a full investigation of the alleged misconduct. Head coach Ron Rivera released a statement saying he would reserve judgment until after the investigation was concluded.
The latest piece from SI includes hand-written letters the victim alleged Richardson sent her, as well as confessions from the victim of Richardson giving her envelopes with cash inside for manicures, pedicures and “pampering.”
In one of the letters, the victim alleged that Richardson wrote to her, "I regret I have never been able to give you pleasure," and asked if she thought of him as her grandfather, second father, her boyfriend, or "something else."
The victim also stated that Richardson said he wanted to shave her legs, rub lotion all over her body and that he brushed her breasts to put a seatbelt on her inside his car.
The Panthers organization released the following statement to Sports Illustrated:
“Since December 2017, when we commenced an internal investigation into allegations of workplace misconduct, the organization has taken the appropriate steps to remediate any misconduct and ensure a safe and comfortable work environment. These claims are very serious and we have cooperated with the NFL’s investigation and remain fully committed to improving every facet of our organization. Because this matter continues to be under an ongoing legal review, we will not comment publicly on the specifics of the allegations, but we do feel compelled to establish what we are doing to provide a healthy work environment.Tina Becker was named COO in December, and immediately began working towards addressing the issues. The team allocated significant resources towards reforming our workplace, restructured executive responsibilities and added a comprehensive training program on harassment and diversity and inclusion issues. We have overhauled our related policies and procedures, including improvements in our reporting to the League, all to make certain that employees who have a concern have multiple ways to report those concerns and can feel comfortable doing so. We have instituted several new employee programs, all aimed at creating an environment in which our staff can feel proud to work.”