Jets Counterclaim Against Former VP After Lawsuit

The New York Jets have filed a counterclaim against Elaine Chen, a former vice president of finance, after she initiated a lawsuit claiming retaliation for her cooperation in a sexual harassment investigation involving team president Heamy Elihai.

In their counterclaim, the Jets accuse Chen of defamation, civil conspiracy, unlawful interference, and breach of contract. Chen’s initial lawsuit asserts that both she and her husband, Larry Fitzpatrick (also a former Jets executive), were dismissed as retaliation after they reported allegations against Elihai.

The Jets allege that there was an “illegal conspiracy” aimed at falsely condemning harassment claims and that they “legally” terminated Chen and Fitzpatrick due to serious misconduct.

According to court documents, the Jets describe Chen’s lawsuit as a desperate move, suggesting it is part of a larger conspiracy to extort the team, which no longer pays their salaries. The documents include screenshots purportedly depicting messages exchanged between Chen and Fitzpatrick, indicating their involvement in this conspiracy.

One message hints at a directive to keep quiet, stating, “You and Elaine have to tell anyone and I mean that I sent this to everyone. He’ll be 100% wrong, don’t need a headache.” Another message, allegedly from Fitzpatrick, states, “You can’t wait to fire this missile.” Additional texts include remarks that appear to encourage removing certain communications and avoiding the team’s Wi-Fi network.

One suspected text from Chen to Fitzpatrick reads, “You can’t tell girls. They should be shocked in the same way.” As this situation unfolds, the Jets are pursuing financial damages from Chen, including legal and attorney fees.