Lawyers for Quinton Dunbar and DeAndre Baker Deny Report of Cover-Up

Lawyers for Seahawks cornerback Quinton Dunbar and Giants cornerback DeAndre Baker denied a report claiming the two football players paid off their victims of an alleged armed robbery in May.

The New York Daily News, which obtained a search warrant as a public record from the Broward County (Fla.) Clerk of Courts, reported a witness in the robbery, Dominic Johnson, oversaw payouts of $55,000 to Baker's and Dunbar's four victims on May 15 at the office of Michael Grieco, Dunbar's attorney.

All four victims have allegedly provided sworn statements saying they were paid off to take back their initial testimonies against Dunbar.

However, Grieco spoke to The Seattle Times Friday and called the report "false."

"Law enforcement, both local and federal, was advised from day one and beyond that the alleged 'victims' in this case were actively extorting Baker and Dunbar," Grieco said. "These men fabricated a robbery story after waiting an hour to call police and then immediately began contacting the players demanding money.

"My office obtained accurate and truthful affidavits consistent with the independent witness and my client's account. These 'victims' are seasoned career criminals who have been arrested and/or convicted of crimes ranging from conspiracy to commit murder, to human trafficking, to filing a false police report. Mr. Dunbar took and passed a polygraph confirming that he did not participate or witness any robbery."

Baker's lawyer, Bradford Cohen, spoke to ESPN's Jordan Raanan and said they have been in contact with "federal and local authorities from the start about the blackmail attempt from the alleged victims." Cohen claimed the victims threatened "to go to the press" if they weren't paid.

Johnson, who said he has known Baker and Dunbar since they were children, allegedly wrote a series of incriminating messages on his Instagram account on May 16.

Miramar Police Department detective Mark Moretti wrote in the search warrant about direct messages between Baker and Johnson that appear to corroborate the victims' claims of a payoff.

"Johnson is telling Baker to come to Dunbar Lawyer's office," Moretti wrote. "Baker replied, 'Yo I'm in the city now getting cash how much to bring ?? I'm tryna get there too u ASAP.'"

Cohen and Patrick Patel, who also represents Baker, told ESPN and the New York Post that Baker has not paid the alleged victims. The three men were at Patel's home in Florida when Baker received the messages about the payoff. Patel said the group went along for the sake of evidence and do not intend on paying anyone.

On Friday night, Cohen tweeted, "The only statements we have are from several independent witnesses that were at the party. Mr. Baker also took a lie detector given by a nationally known examiner and was shown to be truthful." 

The alleged robbery occurred in Miramar, Fla., on May 13, when the Dunbar and Baker were at a party. Both players were issued arrest warrants on May 14. Baker pleaded not guilty to eight charges, while Dunbar pleaded not guilty to four charges. They both are out on bail.