Mario Batali Will Not Face Criminal Charges in New York

Potential criminal charges against disgraced celebrity chef Mario Batali in New York City were reportedly dropped after police couldn’t find witnesses or evidence corroborating the two accusations, according to TMZ.

The New York Police Department opened an investigation regarding two sexual assault accusations — one that allegedly took place at Babbo in 2004 and another allegedly at the Spotted Pig in 2005 — last spring. After a December 2017 investigation by Eater New York about Batali’s alleged misconduct that involved inappropriately touching staffers and other industry professionals, he stepped away from operations at his restaurants and lost his hosting gig on the talk show The Chew. He’s also under criminal investigation in Boston.

In July, three of his restaurants on the Strip — Carnevino at the Palazzo, B&B Ristorante at the Venetian, and Otto Enoteca e Pizzeria at the Grand Canal Shoppes — co-owned with Joe Bastianich closed. Batali still has a stake in parent company B&B Hospitality as well as Eataly, which just opened at the Park MGM.

• Mario Batali Off the Hook in NYC Sexual Assault Cases [TMZ]

• Mario Batali’s Three Las Vegas Restaurants Close This Summer [ELV]

• Mario Batali Faces New Sexual Misconduct Allegations [ELV]

• Mario Batali Divesting from His Restaurant Empire [ELV]

• NYPD Is Investigating Mario Batali for Sexual Misconduct Allegations [ENY]