Latest from the Viking Love Boat
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Culpepper, McKinnie, Smoot on cruise
prostitutes flown in from Atlanta
Star Tribune
Paul McEnroe and Pat Doyle Last update: October 15, 2005 at 6:16 AM
Quarterback Daunte Culpepper, offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie and cornerback Fred Smoot are on a list of Minnesota Vikings football players whom investigators are interested in questioning about a sex party on charter boats on Lake Minnetonka, a source with direct knowledge of the investigation said Friday.
The list, which has been given to investigators and Vikings team officials by the charter boat company, names 17 players whom crew members identified as passengers on the boats during an Oct. 6 outing. Some players on the list allegedly participated in sex acts. The list also includes players who apologized for the behavior of some teammates and who tried to protect the charter boat employees.
Authorities were trying to determine how many players on the list they should interview as witnesses or potential participants in lewd behavior. It was unclear how many other passengers were also of interest to investigators.
Culpepper declined to comment when asked this week what he knew of the cruise. McKinnie told reporters to "get over it." Smoot has repeatedly denied that he organized the party. A Vikings team spokesman had no comment Friday about the list.
The list of players is based on the recollections of crew members. After the Star Tribune obtained the names on the list, the newspaper attempted to contact all of the players and was able to reach 13. Most declined to comment.
One player on the list, running back Mewelde Moore, confirmed he was on a boat but said he didn't see any sexual activity.
The list also includes: All-Pro defensive tackle Kevin Williams, tight end Jermaine Wiggins; running back Moe Williams; wide receivers Nate Burleson, Troy Williamson, Travis Taylor and Koren Robinson; cornerback Ralph Brown, and safety Darren Sharper.
At least 90 people took the excursion on two yachts chartered from Al & Alma's Supper Club and Charter Cruises in Mound. Before the boat rides, Smoot came to the charter company in person to work out details for the party and put money down, the company's attorney Stephen Doyle has said.
Both boats returned to shore 40 minutes into the 3½-hour cruise after crew members grew alarmed by the sexual activity, Doyle said. Crew members later reported the episode to police.
Crew members reported that some players allegedly engaged in public sex acts, drank heavily and propositioned female crew members. The sex was apparently consensual, and some was photographed as passengers watched and cheered, Doyle said.
The list turned over to investigators does not include every Vikings player who attended the boat parties. Doyle has said at least 20 players were aboard, but not all were identified by the crew. It is unclear which of the 17 engaged in lewd behavior and which ones aided the crew and apologized for the others.
Visitors from out of state?
In another development, two sources with direct knowledge of the investigation said that crew members have told authorities that several women who had sex with the players on the boats said that they had been flown in from out of state for the party. Both sources said that some of the women reportedly said they had arrived from Atlanta and that authorities would be checking that tip.
One of the sources said that if the women participated in organized prostitution on the boat after crossing state lines, it could be a felony under federal law.
"Somebody here was brokering these females, but we can't yet say they were brought in by the Vikings team or whomever," the source said. "It would take the investigation to a higher level, yes. There's some organization to it - the crew overheard them [women] saying they were from out of town. The Atlanta connection with these females has been overheard by the crew."
At least 20 women were reported to have engaged in lewd behavior on the boats, the source said. The source said that federal authorities had not yet been contacted because that was still developing. Minneapolis FBI agent Paul McCabe said Friday that his agency had not yet been contacted by local investigators.
The women may have checked into an Eden Prairie hotel and then eaten at the nearby Naar Grille prior to going aboard the boats last week.
A customer at the restaurant, speaking on the condition that his name not be used, said that a woman in her early 20s who called herself Ebony said she and a group of about 12 to 15 women had just flown in from Atlanta and Houston. The customer said that the women were eating at the restaurant and staying at the Spring Hill Suites by Marriott.
He said the woman said that her group was in town to attend a party scheduled to begin at midnight at "some mansion" where a Vikings player lived. The woman did not mention a boat party.er at the restaurant, speaking on the condition that his name not be used, said that a woman in her early 20s who called herself Ebony said she and a group of about 12 to 15 women had just flown in from Atlanta and Houston. The customer said that the women were eating at the restaurant and staying at the Spring Hill Suites by Marriott.
He said the woman said that her group was in town to attend a party scheduled to begin at midnight at "some mansion" where a Vikings player lived. The woman did not mention a boat party.
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Culpepper, McKinnie, Smoot on cruise
prostitutes flown in from Atlanta
Star Tribune
Paul McEnroe and Pat Doyle Last update: October 15, 2005 at 6:16 AM
Quarterback Daunte Culpepper, offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie and cornerback Fred Smoot are on a list of Minnesota Vikings football players whom investigators are interested in questioning about a sex party on charter boats on Lake Minnetonka, a source with direct knowledge of the investigation said Friday.
The list, which has been given to investigators and Vikings team officials by the charter boat company, names 17 players whom crew members identified as passengers on the boats during an Oct. 6 outing. Some players on the list allegedly participated in sex acts. The list also includes players who apologized for the behavior of some teammates and who tried to protect the charter boat employees.
Authorities were trying to determine how many players on the list they should interview as witnesses or potential participants in lewd behavior. It was unclear how many other passengers were also of interest to investigators.
Culpepper declined to comment when asked this week what he knew of the cruise. McKinnie told reporters to "get over it." Smoot has repeatedly denied that he organized the party. A Vikings team spokesman had no comment Friday about the list.
The list of players is based on the recollections of crew members. After the Star Tribune obtained the names on the list, the newspaper attempted to contact all of the players and was able to reach 13. Most declined to comment.
One player on the list, running back Mewelde Moore, confirmed he was on a boat but said he didn't see any sexual activity.
The list also includes: All-Pro defensive tackle Kevin Williams, tight end Jermaine Wiggins; running back Moe Williams; wide receivers Nate Burleson, Troy Williamson, Travis Taylor and Koren Robinson; cornerback Ralph Brown, and safety Darren Sharper.
At least 90 people took the excursion on two yachts chartered from Al & Alma's Supper Club and Charter Cruises in Mound. Before the boat rides, Smoot came to the charter company in person to work out details for the party and put money down, the company's attorney Stephen Doyle has said.
Both boats returned to shore 40 minutes into the 3½-hour cruise after crew members grew alarmed by the sexual activity, Doyle said. Crew members later reported the episode to police.
Crew members reported that some players allegedly engaged in public sex acts, drank heavily and propositioned female crew members. The sex was apparently consensual, and some was photographed as passengers watched and cheered, Doyle said.
The list turned over to investigators does not include every Vikings player who attended the boat parties. Doyle has said at least 20 players were aboard, but not all were identified by the crew. It is unclear which of the 17 engaged in lewd behavior and which ones aided the crew and apologized for the others.
Visitors from out of state?
In another development, two sources with direct knowledge of the investigation said that crew members have told authorities that several women who had sex with the players on the boats said that they had been flown in from out of state for the party. Both sources said that some of the women reportedly said they had arrived from Atlanta and that authorities would be checking that tip.
One of the sources said that if the women participated in organized prostitution on the boat after crossing state lines, it could be a felony under federal law.
"Somebody here was brokering these females, but we can't yet say they were brought in by the Vikings team or whomever," the source said. "It would take the investigation to a higher level, yes. There's some organization to it - the crew overheard them [women] saying they were from out of town. The Atlanta connection with these females has been overheard by the crew."
At least 20 women were reported to have engaged in lewd behavior on the boats, the source said. The source said that federal authorities had not yet been contacted because that was still developing. Minneapolis FBI agent Paul McCabe said Friday that his agency had not yet been contacted by local investigators.
The women may have checked into an Eden Prairie hotel and then eaten at the nearby Naar Grille prior to going aboard the boats last week.
A customer at the restaurant, speaking on the condition that his name not be used, said that a woman in her early 20s who called herself Ebony said she and a group of about 12 to 15 women had just flown in from Atlanta and Houston. The customer said that the women were eating at the restaurant and staying at the Spring Hill Suites by Marriott.
He said the woman said that her group was in town to attend a party scheduled to begin at midnight at "some mansion" where a Vikings player lived. The woman did not mention a boat party.er at the restaurant, speaking on the condition that his name not be used, said that a woman in her early 20s who called herself Ebony said she and a group of about 12 to 15 women had just flown in from Atlanta and Houston. The customer said that the women were eating at the restaurant and staying at the Spring Hill Suites by Marriott.
He said the woman said that her group was in town to attend a party scheduled to begin at midnight at "some mansion" where a Vikings player lived. The woman did not mention a boat party.
:hump: 
