UPDATE 9/16, 3:40 p.m. ET: In a statement provided by his attorney Darren Heitner, Antonio Brown has denied the sexual misconduct allegation leveled against him. "Antonio Brown has reviewed the sexual misconduct allegations made by an unnamed artist included in a recently published Sports Illustrated article and denies that he ever engaged in such activities," Heitner told TMZ.
"There will be no further comment at this time," he added.
See original story below.
Shortly after he was traded to the New England Patriots just over a week ago, Antonio Brown was accused of sexual assault by his former trainer. Britney Taylor said in her federal lawsuit against the wide receiver that he sexually assaulted her three times over the past two years. She isn't the only woman to have accused Brown of sexual misconduct, according to Sports Illustrated.
As detailed in the report, Brown agreed to a host a charity softball game in June 2017, during which he bid on a portrait of himself. The woman behind the painting explained that he invited her to come to his Pittsburgh home to create another painting of him. He asked for a mural on a wall in his home, which he offered her $1,000 a day for. She added that he flirted with her from the start, but she initially thought nothing of it.
Later on, he posted videos of the progress of her mural and "acted like he trusted me and let me do my thing." As she started her second day of work on the mural, however, she noticed that Brown was stood behind her holding only a small towel over his genitals.
"He was flirty with me but I paid him no mind because I was there on business, plus, I had already seen him with multiple girls in the short time I was with him," she said. "I was about 40% done on the second day, and I’m on my knees painting the bottom, and he walks up to me butt-ass naked, with a hand cloth covering his [penis] and starts having a conversation with me."
She explained that she has "been tried [by men] a lot of times," so she just ignored what she saw as a "clear sexual come-on" and continued to work on the mural.
"After that, it all ended abruptly," she said. He then informed her that he was going to Miami, at which point he effectively "ghosted" her and she was unable to finish the mural. Brown paid her $2,000 for the two days she worked at his home, but after that she was no longer able to get in contact with him or his assistants. She has confirmed that she will not pursue charges against him.
Meanwhile, the painting that he bought for $700 at the charity auction has still not be paid for. "We didn't want to sue," said National Youth Foundation co-founder Sophia Hanson. "Our mission is all about seeing the good in people and lifting people up. Part of me has to believe that at some point, one of these grown men are going to realize that they shouldn’t be stealing from a charity run by black women benefiting children. I have to believe that."
