15. Vanessa Bryant
Can you make up for having sex with an underage girl in a hotel room, with her subsequent accusations of rape? When you have a good wife and lot of money, of course you can!
Kobe bought her a 4 million dollar ring. Nice one Kobe.
The couple met in November 1999, when then 21-year-old Bryant met 17-year-old Vanessa Laine while she was working as a background dancer on the Tha Eastsidaz music video “G’d Up”.
The reason why Kobe was even there is the fact that he was working on his debut musical album.
In the summer of 2003, the sheriff’s office of Eagle, Colorado, arrested Bryant in connection with an investigation of a sexual assault complaint filed by a 19-year old hotel employee.
He admitted an adulterous sexual encounter with his accuser, but denied her sexual assault allegation.
He had this to say about the “incident”: “Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did.
After months of reviewing discovery, listening to her attorney, and even her testimony in person, I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter.”
Two sides ultimately settled with the specific terms of the settlement being undisclosed to the public.