Brett Carlsen/Getty Images An associate of New York Giants cornerback DeAndre Baker and Seattle Seahawks cornerback Quinton Dunbar worked with the players in a cover-up that paid four victims of an alleged May 13 armed robbery to give false statements, according to a report by Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News.
Dominic Johnson is said to have helped orchestrate a payoff of $55,000 to the four alleged victims with Baker appearing to have provided the funds.
The information was reported by Leonard through a warrant obtained via a public records request in Florida.
In an Instagram direct message, Johnson appears to brag about getting the victims to give false statements two days after the robbery following a payout at the office of Dunbar's lawyer, Michael Grieco.
"We all heading to the lawyer now to get the charges dropped I got them n----s to sign the papers," Johnson allegedly wrote, per Leonard. "Got them same n----s that said they got robbed to say they didn't ... Same n----s that got robbed I made them fix that s--t."
Johnson is also alleged to have sent direct messages to Baker ahead of the payoff, telling the Giants defender to come to Dunbar's lawyer's office, to which Baker responded, "I'm in the city now getting cash how much to bring ??"
Footage of the money changing hands was captured on video cameras.
Per Leonard:
"This new warrant says that in the video, Grieco is seen leaving his 24th floor office, taking the elevator to the lobby, and bringing Johnson and the four alleged victims back to his office at 2:26 p.m. "Johnson eventually leaves the office and meets an unknown person in the lobby, according to the warrant. And then Johnson and the unknown person take the elevator up from the lobby at 2:34 p.m. "During that elevator ride, the unknown person removes a 'black bag' from his shoulders, 'opens it and removes money.' The person also 'shows the open bag to Johnson and you can see a large quantity of money. Johnson then takes the bag,' the warrant reads."Leonard reported payments were made to alleged victims in amounts of $30,000, $20,000 and $5,000, the latter of which was split with a fourth alleged victim.
One alleged victim provided a statement about what allegedly took place in Grieco's office, saying "he was being directed that he didn't see what he thought he saw."
Dunbar's attorney submitted statements in which the alleged victims recanted their original statements later that day, the warrant stated:
"On 5/15/20, I was contacted by Michael Grieco, attorney for Dunbar, stating the victims and witness have recanted their sworn/recorded statements against Dunbar. However, I also want the court to be aware that all five individuals have been threatened and have expressed extreme concern to me regarding their safety. One of the individual(s) was forced to move out of his apartment. The other was receiving texted messages containing pictures of his passport, the same passport that was stolen during the robbery."One of the alleged victims stated there was "no way" Grieco didn't see the transaction occur.
Neither local police in Miramar, Florida, nor the state's attorney's office provided comment to Leonard.
The NFL is conducting its own investigation and told Leonard the matter is still under review.
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