Matt Araiza Gang Rape Case: Parents of Ex-Bills Punter Admit to Receiving Death Threats, Harassment Amid Scandal
A civil lawsuit has been filed against former Buffalo Bills punter Matt Araiza and two others for alleged gang rape. Now, his parents have released a statement to local San Diego news outlet KUSI saying that they have been canceled.
Our newsroom just received this statement from the family of Matt Araiza. pic.twitter.com/YgjAGaPlNF
— Brandon Stone (@BStoneKUSI) August 29, 2022
The statement released on Twitter said that a war has been raged against their son, and he has already been convicted on social media just based on information released by the alleged victim and her attorney.
His parents also stated that he had been extorted, discriminated against, and harassed. The statement went on to say that he had also received "multiple and continuous threats of violence and death." It is not just him, too, as the statement revealed that his family also received horrific "threats of violence and death."
Araiza's parents denounced the "salacious rumors" against his son, which have been accepted as fact, even though, as the parents claimed, multiple witness reports have denied the claims against him.
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Buffalo Bills Knew Matt Araiza Was Under Investigation but Still Went With Him Before Releasing Him
Bills General Manager Brandon Beane was the one who announced the team's decision to cut the punter and admitted that the situation is complicated, according to NBC Sports.
He added that he sympathizes with the young woman and what she went through. He then announced that the team would like to move on from and let go of Araiza. Beane also said that they were unaware of the allegations made against Araiza when they drafted him during the sixth round of the NFL draft back in April. He said that had they known, they would have removed him from consideration.
However, the Associated Press noted that Bills management was already aware that he was the target of a police investigation. They even cleared the way for Araiza to take over punting duties by cutting veteran punter Matt Haack.
The victim's lawyer Dan Gilleon stated that he contacted the team last July about Araiza, but the Bills ignored his concerns. He stated that the team had no choice but to cut the punter after botching their response to his client's claims.
During the draft process, two different teams told the Associated Press that they were already aware of Araiza's involvement in an incident, but neither team knew the extent of the allegations. Meanwhile, three NFL teams admitted to having no knowledge that he was under any investigation at all.
Matt Araiza's Victim Speaks Out, Says She Did Not Know Who Matt Araiza Was
Araiza has been accused of gang rape alongside two San Diego State University players. The victim, an 18-year-old woman, said they left her bleeding after their assault as they ripped her piercings out. She also said that her phone was taken from her.
While Araiza's lawyer and family called her case a "money grab," she claimed that she had no idea who Araiza was, as she was only 17 at the time the incident happened.
CBS News reports that the San Diego District Attorney now has her case, though no criminal charges have been filed yet.
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Rick Martin
WATCH: Teenager accusing Matt Araiza of rape speaks out; Araiza family issues statement - CBS 8 San Diego
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