Jets countersue ex-executive, cite nearly 4,000 deleted texts in alleged plot against team president

The New York Jets filed a countersuit Tuesday against a former vice president of finance Elaine Chen, who last week sued the team, alleging she was part of an "unlawful conspiracy" to falsely accuse team president Hymie Elhai of sexual harassment. The Jets claim the effort was intended to damage Elhai's reputation and destabilize the organization's leadership, according to the filing obtained by NJ.com.

Central to the countersuit are roughly 4,000 deleted text messages recovered from Chen's husband, former vice president of ticket sales Larry Fitzpatrick's company-issued phone. The team alleges in the filing the messages show attempts to mislead investigators about the origin of an anonymous email accusing Elhai of inappropriate behavior. According to the filing, the texts include exchanges in which Fitzpatrick sent the email to Chen and she allegedly responded, "pretty brilliant." Investigators say Fitzpatrick initially denied receiving the email, then began "furiously tapping" his phone during questioning, as if attempting to delete evidence.

The 67-page countersuit accuses Chen and Fitzpatrick of working with at least one unnamed former employee to create and distribute the fabricated email. That employee reportedly confessed to sending it and implicated Fitzpatrick. The Jets' filing includes claims of defamation, civil conspiracy, and tortious interference, and the team is seeking damages and reimbursement of legal costs.

In her initial lawsuit, Chen denied any connection to the email and said her termination amounted to marital discrimination. She alleged the team targeted employees who supported investigating Elhai or believed his conduct warranted disciplinary action.

The Jets' filing also alleges additional misconduct by Fitzpatrick, including explicit messages to coworkers, viewing and sharing adult content on company devices, and violating NFL gambling policies through participation in Super Bowl squares pools. The team maintains Chen was fired for cause after their investigation revealed her participation in the alleged scheme.

Chen joined the Jets in 2010 as a finance director and was promoted to vice president in 2021. Fitzpatrick, her husband, was previously the team's vice president of ticket sales. Elhai has been with the organization since 2000 and became team president in 2019.

According to the Jets, Chen and Fitzpatrick sought to destabilize the franchise by falsely portraying the organization as tolerant of sexual misconduct while concealing their own involvement. Investigators say their findings demonstrate a coordinated effort to damage Elhai's professional reputation.