Jets and Former VP Engaged in Legal Dispute

The New York Jets and their former vice president, Elaine Chen, are locked in a legal battle filled with accusations of sexual harassment and a conspiracy to tarnish the reputation of team president Hymie Elhai.

Chen, who previously served as the Jets’ vice president of finance, has filed a lawsuit claiming she was wrongfully terminated in connection with allegations regarding Elhai’s conduct. Specifically, she asserts that after inappropriate messages were allegedly sent to female employees, she was let go because of her ties to Larry Fitzpatrick, her husband and the former vice president of ticket sales, who also found himself dismissed from the organization.

According to the legal documents, a July email was circulated among Jets leadership, outlining claims of Elhai’s inappropriate behavior. Fitzpatrick, being a recipient of that email, faced termination as well. Chen’s lawsuit contends that the official justification for her firing—a supposed conflict of interest—was merely a cover story, implying it was really due to her marriage to Fitzpatrick.

The lawsuit claims that the investigation into the allegations against Elhai was not conducted properly and was aimed instead at finding and targeting those who supported the claims.

It also states that Fitzpatrick was “intensely questioned” about the email and initially withheld information out of fear for his job, while Chen maintains she had no direct knowledge of any harassment and was uninvolved with the email communication.

In response, the Jets assert they carried out a thorough investigation regarding the allegations against Elhai, which they label as completely unfounded. They accuse Chen of partaking in a conspiracy to remove Elhai from his position through these false claims.

Eric Gelfund, the Jets’ Executive Vice President of Communications, remarked that the investigation was serious and adhered to internal protocols. He stated that evidence indicated the harassment claims were not only without merit but that the email itself was part of a larger scheme orchestrated by former employees, including Chen and Fitzpatrick.

The Jets intend to file a countersuit for defamation, alleging that Chen and Fitzpatrick collaborated on the messaging that precipitated the ongoing conflict. They further claim that Fitzpatrick has been dishonest about his involvement and even deleted over 4,000 text messages, which they believe pertains to the conspiracy against Elhai.

Additionally, they allege a former employee linked to Chen has corroborated that the accusations against Elhai are essentially groundless and that there was collusion with Fitzpatrick to manipulate the email situation.

Elhai has been part of the Jets organization for 26 years, currently holding the title of president, making this situation all the more significant in the context of the team’s history.