Three former Phoenix Suns employees said they had received messages from owner Robert Sarver’s wife in the past few days as the NBA investigated allegations in a damning report released by ESPN last week describing racism and misogyny within the organization.
At least one of the staff said he viewed Penny Sarver’s news as a threat. Sarver confirmed that she had sent the messages but denied any attempt at intimidation.
The former employees told the story ESPN on Tuesday that two of Penny Sarver’s messages from an Instagram account with the @ pennsar username and this was a text message from her phone.
“I know many bridges have been burned between you and Robert, and you are very bitter. I would like to remind you that real lives are at stake here ”, Penny Sarver is said to have written to an employee.
“Please put your hatred aside and see the pain you cause by spreading lies and inventions. Is Your Time In The Spotlight That Important? If something happens to one of my children, I will personally blame you and Earl Watson for owning your own child for a second and imagine that the tables have turned, “the message continued, according to ESPN.
Watson was previously the head coach of the Suns and is alleged to have told Robert Sarver that “that can’t be said” after the owner allegedly repeatedly used racist slur in the locker room.
Other allegations made against Robert Sarver include showing staff a picture of his wife in a bikini and talking about her having oral sex with him.
In other messages to former employees, Penny Sarver expressed anger over their bringing up their stories and accused one of them of lying to “destroy my husband,” according to ESPN.
“I am so sad that you say such untrue things about my husband. Your interpretation of what happened is so far from the truth. They are destroying my families’ lives, ”she reportedly said in a message.
“I don’t know how to interpret it other than as a threat,” a former employee told ESPN.
ESPN interviewed 70 current and former Suns employees for its investigation into “a toxic and sometimes hostile workplace” during Robert Sarver’s 17-year tenure as the owner.
In a statement to ESPN, Penny Sarver confirmed that she had sent the messages to the three employees.
“Over the weekend, I decided to reach out to a few people on my own to try to put things right and share how disappointed and hurt I am with the lies that are circulating about my husband and the Suns organization,” she said .
“Any suggestion that I’ve tried to intimidate someone is as silly as it is false and outrageous,” she added.
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