Minnesota Vikings boat party scandal
An alleged sex party occurred on October 6, 2005 on Lake Minnetonka when seventeen key members of the Minnesota Vikings football team, including quarterback Daunte Culpepper, Fred Smoot, Mewelde Moore, Darren Sharper, Pat Williams, Bryant McKinnie, Nate Burleson, Ralph Brown, Troy Williamson, Travis Taylor, Kevin Williams, Jermaine Wiggins, Lance Johnstone, Moe Williams, Ken Irvin, Willie Offord and Koren Robinson rented two boats and some, but not all, performed highly sexual acts in front of crew members. Felony charges are possible due to the ongoing investigation of some of the Vikings flying in prostitutes from Atlanta and Florida to perform the sex acts. There were apparently ninety people on the two boats. An anonymous former player of the Minnesota Vikings claimed that this is not the first time that such an incident has happened.[1] The scandal has sometimes been referred to as the Love Boat scandal in the news.
It has also been suggested that photography occurred at the party and that the alleged photos contain people engaging in sexual intercourse.[2] As of December 2005, four of the players have been charged with misdemeanors related to the events (see below).
The incident
A woman called police around 9:20 p.m. on October 6 to report that approximately "seven black men" had urinated in her yard after exiting a "big shuttle bus limousine", according to the transcript. [3]
The woman later mentioned that the men were "sitting at Al and Alma's", the name of the charter cruise company that the Vikings players were later alleged to have used for the party.
Stephen Doyle, attorney for the charter company, said some of the sex acts alleged by witnesses to have taken place during the party included, "Masturbation, oral sex, woman on man, woman on woman, toys, middle of the floor, middle of the couches, middle of the room."
The cleaning crew reported finding "used condoms, K-Y Jelly, Handi Wipes, wrappers for sex toys" and said "it was just incredible how it was left. Never in the history of this group of people have they ever had anything like this.'"
According to Doyle, there were no drugs and no minors on the two boats and that not every Vikings player aboard acted inappropriately.
Players involved in Scandal
Fred Smoot
Smoot is the alleged ringleader of the entire operation. He is said to be the one who hired the boats for the cruise on Lake Minnetonka. Smoot's agent has dismissed these claims. Smoot, however has not denied that he was on the boat that night.[4]
Merritt Geyen who worked at the docks told a sheriff's detective that three men planned the charter boat cruises. The day before the party, Geyen told the detective, Vikings cornerback Fred Smoot showed up with another man she did not recognize.
Lance Johnstone
Merritt Geyen a dock employee, told the detective that crew members showed Johnstone, Smoot and an unidentified player around the boats, went over menus and talked about specialty liquors. Smoot then signed a contract for the event and gave his address and phone number so she could bill him for it. Johnstone put his credit card down for the $1,000 deposit and said the rest of the bill could be added to his card later.
Daunte Culpepper
Culpepper refused to say whether he was on one of the boats in question, but he did expand on his standard “no comment” after relentless pressure.
Culpepper said “Please believe me that when this stuff is resolved and the investigation is over I will have something to say."[5]
Mewelde Moore
Moore admits being on the boat, but he claims that "nothing happened." Asked if he saw strippers or sex on his boat, Moore immediately replied: "Oh no, none of that. Sex? What are you talking about? That's crazy. Look man, I'm engaged. That would put me in trouble."[6]
Darren Sharper
Sharper says "I know I didn't do anything wrong. So I don't worry about it at all." He also claims he was not "on the boat in question."[7]
Koren Robinson
Robinson said he was not on either boat and was upset the Minneapolis Star Tribune associated him with this incident, given his effort to rebuild his life after struggling with substance abuse.
Robinson says "I wasn't there, as far as the whole situation, I just know I wasn't on the boat, and I don't want to get involved. I don't want my name brought up because of what I just went through and what I'm still going through. So for my name to be brought up like that is just crazy and upsetting, because I don't want anyone looking at me because I had nothing to do with it."[8]
Bryant McKinnie
When asked McKinnie said, "I'm upset my name is on the list, but I'm going to let my lawyer handle that."[9]
Ralph Brown, Travis Taylor, Moe Williams & Jermaine Wiggins
The aforementioned players have refused to comment.[10]
Zygi Wilf
"Lack of discipline will no longer be tolerated at any level. The events of the past week are unacceptable." “If there was any sense that we would look the other way regarding this type of behavior, I want to make it extremely clear that this behavior will never be tolerated again.” Once the investigation is completed, Wilf said he will punish the players with fines and/or suspensions, although he did not say whether termination was an option. He added that there will be “no exceptions” for players involved.
Aftermath
On October 19, 2005 Vikings Owner Zygi Wilf, in a reportedly profanity-laced tirade, threatened to remove players from the roster who were involved in the planning of the party, according to Sports Illustrated.[11]
Vikings Head Coach Mike Tice echoed the calls of Wilf, but wouldn't go as far as endorsing Wilf's view on punishment. He instead said that if any players were found in the police investigation to have acted inappropriately or criminally he would definitely take action.[12]
The Vikings created a 77 page Code of Conduct and distributed it to all the players, they also hired a former FBI agent and NFL investigator as head of security (a position that had been elimated for several years) to help keep the players out of trouble. And they contracted the help of a private security firm.
On December 15, 2005, Culpepper, McKinnie, Smoot and Moe Williams were charged with indecent conduct, disorderly conduct and lewd or lascivious conduct. If convicted, each player faces a maximum of 90 days in jail on each count. All players pleaded not guilty on January 6, 2006.
Charges against Culpepper were dropped in April 2006. Williams was found guilty on a count of disorderly conduct but was cleared on charges of indecent conduct, and lewd or lascivious behavior.[13]
On May 26, 2006, Fred Smoot and Bryant McKinnie pleaded guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct. The two will pay a $1,000 fine and perform 48 hours of community service, they also had 30-day jail sentences stayed for a year. Smoot and McKinnie also pleaded guilty to being a public nuisance on a watercraft, but that will be permanently removed from their records if they remain law abiding for the next year.
Vikings owner Zygi Wilf said the two players, in addition to their required community service, would participate in numerous service events over the next season. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said fines are likely, declining to say for how much or how long the process will take. He said the players won't be suspended. Because Smoot and McKinnie are being disciplined by the league, the Vikings are precluded by the NFL's labor agreement from imposing their own discipline.