BOSTON (AP) — Celebrity chef Mario Batali has been cleared of sexual misconduct following a criminal trial in Boston.
A Boston Municipal Court judge found him not guilty Tuesday after a two-day trial in which the chef had waived his right to a jury trial.
A woman had accused Batali of forcibly kissing and groping her while taking a selfie at a restaurant in 2017.
But Batali’s lawyer argued the accuser had a financial incentive to lie. Batali faced up to 2 1/2 years in prison if convicted.
The 61-year-old former Food Network fixture's career crumbled amid sexual misconduct allegations from four women in 2017.