<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Basketball legend Isiah Thomas' accuser was offered $250,000 to make her harassment claims disappear, a source close to the Knicks president claimed yesterday.
But Anucha Browne Sanders rejected the deal - saying only a $6.5 million settlement could stop her landing a stunning lawsuit against the Knicks president, the source said.
"She wanted $6.5 million," said the insider.
"The Garden offered $250,000, and that's when she said, 'Okay, we are going to sue.'
"Her lawyer's now saying the $6.5 million demand is not true, but yes, there was negotiation and yes, the $6.5 million figure was very real."
Browne Sanders' lawyer, Kevin Mintzer, said last night he wouldn't comment on settlement discussions, "other than to say that the $250,000 figure is wrong."
The source close to Thomas said an out-of-court settlement was now extremely unlikely.
"If they were going to settle, they would have settled before this suit was filed," he said.
"This is now going to court. It's very embarrassing and not good for anyone. If it was going to be settled, it would have been settled before any of this became public."
The source said the $6.5 million demand was made because Browne Sanders needed cash.
Her husband, Roy Sanders, has had at least four tax liens filed against him, though they totaled less than $10,000.
And records show the family was given permission for nearly $200,000 of home improvements in August. Contractors were working at their $900,000 Short Hills, N.J., home yesterday.
"We know that she has financial issues," said the insider.
Browne Sanders, who was paid $250,000 a year, refused to comment as she arrived for a meeting with Mintzer yesterday afternoon.
The 43-year-old mother of three filed her lawsuit at Manhattan Federal Court on Tuesday. It claims Thomas began to abuse her after blaming a March 2004 Knicks defeat on a late-night public relations event the evening before.
Thomas barred her from dealing directly with the team, and started verbally harassing her, "calling her 'b----' and 'ho' to her face," said the lawsuit.
He then began to make sexual approaches, telling her he loved her and inviting her to have sex, the suit claims.</div>
Source
This situation is getting worse and worse by the day. Isiah is innocent until proven guilty, but no matter what he's tainted.
I haven't read about him getting other players drunk, that's pretty hilarious though.
