NYPD probing rape claim against former Knicks star Kristaps Porzingis
By Tina Moore March 30, 2019 | 7:09pm
Hours after suffering a devastating knee injury at Madison Square Garden last year, former Knicks star Kristaps Porzingis came home and allegedly raped a neighbor he’d invited to his luxe Manhattan penthouse, the woman told police, according to law enforcement sources.
The woman made her stunning allegation against the 23-year-old player on Thursday afternoon — and investigators consider her credible, one high-ranking NYPD source told The Post.
The accuser is “believable,” the source said, despite her not reporting the alleged attack until over a year later, and her admission to cops that she discussed getting $68,000 in hush money from the multi-millionaire baller.
The alleged attack happened Feb. 7, 2018 at the soaring Sky building in Midtown West, the woman told cops at the 10th Precinct stationhouse, the sources told The Post.
The woman — who is in her 20s and also lived in the building — told cops the NBA star visited her apartment at around 2 a.m., and that she accepted his invitation to go back to his posh pad.
Once inside, the towering, 7-foot-3 Latvian allegedly held her down and raped her, she told cops, according to sources.
The NYPD’s Special Victims Division has taken over the case and is investigating, the sources said.
The woman told cops she waited over a year to talk to police because Porzingis allegedly promised to give her money to keep her quiet, the sources said.
She told cops Porzingis promised to give her $68,000 to pay for her brother’s college tuition, but then reneged, the sources said.
It is unclear if any money ever changed hands between the two.
Enlarge ImageThe front entrance to the Manhattan apartment building where Kristaps Porzingis allegedly raped a neighbor.
The front entrance to the Manhattan apartment building where Kristaps Porzingis allegedly raped a neighbor.Robert Miller
Porzingis’ current team, the Dallas Mavericks, has been made aware of the woman’s accusation, according to team owner Mark Cuban.
“We have been instructed by federal authorities not to comment,” Cuban told The Post in an email, which he cc’ed to NBA officials and Porzingis’ reps.
Cuban declined to say if the feds have been brought in by Porzingis’ side as part of a counter-claim of extortion.
Porzingis’ reps said they could not comment about the accusation because they have not seen the police report.
A lawyer for Porzingis called the 10th Precinct stationhouse soon after the woman made her allegation there, and was referred to Special Victims, according to a police source, who could not immediately provide the attorney’s name.
Hours before the alleged attack, the then-Knicks forward tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during a 103-89 trouncing by the Milwaukee Bucks at the Garden.
When Porzingis returned home from his ACL-tear diagnosis, he joined his two brothers and longtime physiotherapist, Manolo Valdivieso, in downing at least one shot of tequila, according to a 23-minute documentary about his rehab.
https://nypost.com/2019/03/30/nypd-probing-rape-claim-against-former-knicks-star-kristaps-porzingis/
