Warner Bros., the studio behind The Bachelorette, has issued a statement about contestant Lincoln Adim's alleged assault and battery conviction.
Per TMZ, Warner Bros. states:
"No one on the Bachelorette production had any knowledge about the incident or charges when Lincoln Adim was cast, and he himself denied ever having engaged in or been charged with any sexual misconduct.
"We employ a well-respected and highly experienced third party who has done thousands of background checks consistent with industry standards to do a nationwide background check in this case. The report we received did not reference any incident or charge relating to the recent conviction — or any other charges relating to sexual misconduct."
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This post was originally published at 4:25 p.m. on June 13.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, 26-year-old Bachelorette contestant Lincoln Adim was convicted of indecent assault and battery a week before Bachelorette Becca Kufrin's season premiere.
On May 21, Adim was reportedly convicted for a 2016 incident in which he was accused of groping and assaulting a woman on a harbor cruise ship in Boston, THR reports. He was then sentenced to a year in a house of correction following a two-year probationary period during which he must stay away from the victim and attend three Alcoholics Anonymous meetings every week.
“Mr. Adim was convicted on May 21, 2018 of indecent assault and battery for groping and assaulting an adult female on a harbor cruise ship early on May 30, 2016," Jake Wark, the Press Secretary for the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts, told Bachelor gossip website RealitySteve. "He was sentenced to one year in a house of correction, with that term suspended for a two-year probationary period. The judge ordered him to stay away from the victim and attend three Alcoholics Anonymous meetings per week during those two years. If he complies with the judge’s orders, he will not have to serve out his term, but if he fails to comply with those orders or re-offends, he could be ordered to serve out the year behind bars."
Ashley Spivey, who was a contestant on the 15th season of The Bachelor, and who reached out to the DA's office on behalf of Reality Steve, told Refinery29 in a statement:
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"In the age of #MeToo, the absolute minimum this show should be doing is providing suitors that don’t have felony sexual offense charges pending against them. This is a dangerous situation to put a woman in. I find it to be appalling that I could conduct a better background check for free than they [sic] numerous companies that they employ to make sure contestants are there for the right reasons. Maybe it’s time for the show to redefine what the 'right reasons' are and spend more time finding safe and compatible suitors."
ABC and Warner Bros declined to Refinery29's request for comment.
If you have experienced sexual violence and are in need of crisis support, please call the RAINN Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).