NFL to probe Giants co-owner Steve Tisch's Epstein emails: "Let's get all the facts"
San José, California - NFL chief Roger Goodell said Monday the league would "look at all the facts" surrounding New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch's contacts with Jeffrey Epstein after his name appeared in a fresh cache of files related to the late sex offender.
US Justice Department documents released last week included multiple email exchanges between Tisch (76) and Epstein, who took his own life in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking minors.
Epstein in 2008 had previously been convicted of soliciting prostitution from an underage girl.
In the emails, most of which date from 2013, Epstein offers to help Tisch meet various women.
Tisch, who has never been charged with any crime relating to Epstein, denied any wrongdoing in a statement last week.
"We had a brief association where we exchanged emails about adult women, and in addition, we discussed movies, philanthropy, and investments," Tisch said of his correspondence with Epstein.
"I did not take him up on any of his invitations and never went to his island. As we all know now, he was a terrible person and someone I deeply regret associating with."
Asked about Tisch's links with Epstein Monday ahead of the Super Bowl, Goodell, the NFL's commissioner, said league officials would examine the details carefully.
"We are going to look at all the facts," Goodell said. "We're going to look at the context of those [exchanges], we're going to try to understand that, and we'll look at how that falls under the policy," Goodell said.
Tisch could face disciplinary action under the NFL's strict personal conduct policy, even without criminal wrongdoing.
League rules demand individuals refrain from "conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in" the NFL, noting "it is not enough simply to avoid being found guilty of a crime in a court of law."
Goodell, however, would not be drawn on the likelihood of Tisch being sanctioned.
"I think we take one step at a time," he said. "Let's get all the facts first."
Cover photo: JEFF ZELEVANSKY / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP