Celebrity chef Mario Batali was being tried for a 2017 incident in Boston.
Highlights
- Mario Batali has been found not guilty of indecent assault and battery for a 2017 incident in Boston.
- Natalie Tene, 32, said Batali forcibly kissed her and grabbed her breasts, buttocks and groin after meeting him in a Boston bar in March 2017.
- Four women accused Batali of inappropriate touching in December 2017, which prompted him to leave the ABC daytime cooking show “The Chew” and remove himself from his restaurant business.
- A defense attorney for Batali called her a liar who is twisting the truth “for money and for fun,” while a defense attorney said she was lying.
- The judge ruled that the defendant had a financial motive for making the accusations.