On December 2, 2025, Diggs allegedly assaulted his personal chef at his Massachusetts home during a dispute over money he owed her. The chef told police he smacked her across the face then tried to choke her using the crook of his elbow around her neck, leaving her short of breath.
She reported the incident to police on December 16 - two weeks later. Diggs was charged with felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery. His arraignment was postponed until after Super Bowl LX so he could play (Patriots lost 29-13 to the Seahawks).
He pleaded not guilty on February 13, 2026. His attorney says the allegations are unsubstantiated and motivated by a financial dispute. The Patriots initially supported him, but released him in March 2026; he is currently a free agent. Trial is set for May 4, 2026.
In Dedham District Court, the prosecution's first witness — chef Jamila "Mila" Adams — took the stand. Per Adams's testimony:
- Met Diggs on Instagram in 2022. Their friendship became sexual.
- Hired as his personal chef at $2,000/week starting February 2025.
- Alleged December 2, 2025 assault: Diggs slapped her with an open hand, then choked her — dispute centered on unpaid wages and her exclusion from a Miami trip.
- Admitted on the stand: no photos, no medical care, no immediate police report.
Defense cross-examination (Andrew Kettlewell) picked apart the credibility:
- Deleted texts recovered — Adams had insulted Diggs in messages she later tried to remove.
- Proof of payments received — undercutting the unpaid-wages narrative.
- Videos of Adams uninjured dancing in New York days after the alleged December 2 assault.
Trial continues Tuesday with additional witnesses. Diggs — currently a free agent after his Patriots release — denies the felony strangulation and misdemeanor A&B charges.
The $5.5M demand reveal. On the second day of cross, defense attorney Sara Silva asked Mila Adams whether her lawyer demanded $5.5 million from Diggs. Adams replied that Diggs offered her $100,000 to recant her statement. The judge instructed the jury to disregard Adams's answer.
The defense rested after calling all seven of its witnesses on Tuesday — among them:
- Diggs's chief of staff
- His massage therapist
- A nurse
- His hair stylist
Multiple witnesses testified they saw no visible injuries on Adams in the days following the alleged Dec 2 incident.
Closings · 2 PM Tuesday. Defense attorney Andrew Kettlewell closed first, telling jurors the prosecution had presented no medical records, no photos, no witness testimony of the assault. The Commonwealth's case rested on Adams's word — and Adams's credibility had been impeached on cross.
The jury reached its verdict in under two hours of deliberation.
NOT GUILTY · felony strangulation.
NOT GUILTY · misdemeanor assault and battery.
Co-counsel Mitch Schuster walked out of Dedham District Court and faced cameras. His statement framed the verdict less as a relief and more as a warning to athletes about how civil money demands can travel alongside criminal complaints:
"We have taken these allegations seriously from day one and that's exactly why we were eager for the facts to come to light through the legal process."
"The evidence has shown what we've maintained from day one: Mr. Diggs was wrongly accused, and this case represents exactly the kind of opportunistic targeting that players can face the moment they step off the field."
"People have to stop targeting professional athletes and trying to extract money. They have a target on their back and it's hard enough doing what they do. This has to stop."
The two parallel civil suits against Diggs (the federal Griffith defamation/sexual-battery counter-claim litigation and the Miami nightclub matter) remain active — and both are scheduled to proceed on their own tracks regardless of the criminal acquittal. Different burden of proof. Different stakes.
- 01Chef alleges Diggs smacked her across the face and attempted to choke her during a dispute over unpaid wages.
- 02Diggs categorically denies the allegations, calling them motivated by a financial dispute.
- 03The chef waited two weeks to report the incident, which defense says undermines her credibility.
- 04Arraignment was delayed for the Super Bowl - raising questions about special treatment for athletes.
The case tests how the NFL and its teams handle active criminal charges against star players. The Super Bowl delay drew criticism. Legal analysts say the two-week reporting gap is a significant challenge for prosecutors. Separately, Patriots DT Christian Barmore also faces domestic assault charges.
In addition to the Massachusetts criminal case, Diggs is litigating two parallel civil matters in different jurisdictions.
Influencer Christopher Blake Griffith publicly accused Diggs of drugging and sexually assaulting him on May 22, 2023 at Diggs's Maryland home, broadcasting the allegations to tens of thousands of followers and tagging the NFL, the Patriots, and brand sponsors. In October 2025, Diggs filed a federal defamation suit alleging the statements were fabricated for attention. Griffith has filed counter-claims framing his statements as protected speech and pursuing sexual-battery claims of his own.
As of April 2026 the case is in discovery. Griffith has moved to compel production of financial records and security-camera footage from Diggs's Maryland home for May 20-22, 2023. Pretrial hearing: July 2026.
A separate civil suit was filed in early 2026, days before Super Bowl LX, alleging an attack at a Miami nightclub and Ferrari theft claims seeking $100K+. The matter is procedurally distinct from both the Massachusetts criminal case and the Griffith federal litigation.