MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Authorities on Tuesday were investigating whether Minnesota Vikings players were involved in allegations of lewd behavior on two Lake Minnetonka charter boats last week.
No criminal charges had been filed by Tuesday afternoon.
Stephen Doyle, an attorney representing the boat owners, said at least 20 Vikings players were part of a group of 90 people who went out on a pair of Al and Alma's charter cruises last Thursday night.
Doyle told Minneapolis TV station KARE 11 there were sexual acts happening "all over" the boats and said there's "no doubt" cornerback Fred Smoot paid for at least one of the boats.
Doyle says he gave the authorities documents which were signed by Smoot.
"It was Mr. Smoot reserving and paying for this," Doyle told KARE. "I don't know if he actually visited or did it over the phone. And they know he was bringing some people to go out on the lake for the evening."
Once the boats left the shore, Doyle said women started stripping for some of the players, who put down money as the women danced.
Doyle says that escalated to players giving and receiving oral sex.
Doyle said the outing ended early, and the boats returned to shore when staff members complained to the captains that some of the people on board were engaging in sexual acts and taking off their clothes.
"The scope of it, the nature of it and the location of it add up to pretty bizarre behavior," said Doyle.
Doyle told KARE that it's not unusual for Al and Alma's to get calls from athletes, who often use the boats for private events with food and alcohol. But he said no one should expect the boats to be available for a sex party.
The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office said the incident was reported Sunday. Sgt. Haans Vitek declined to comment on whether any Vikings were involved.
"From what we're hearing, it certainly sounds that way, but we want to get it right from the people that were there," Vitek said. "We're trying to sort out all the facts and see if any of it even rises to a criminal act, or whether it was just people who were offended."
"It was a stag party atmosphere on the boat with allegations of strippers and sexual conduct,'' Vitek told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. "We're still trying to sort things out at this time.''
The team had no comment.
