Commanders Issue Letter Refuting Financial Allegations; What Does It Mean?

After being accused of withholding money entitled to fans and other NFL teams, Commanders present documentation trying to prove they did nothing wrong.

The Washington Commanders have had lots of losing around them, and we're not just talking about games. 

Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images

Co-owners of the Washington Commanders, Dan and Tanya Snyder.

Co-owner of the Washington Commanders, Dan Snyder.

Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images

Washington Commanders crest, established in 2022.

According to accusations, employees have been violated, mistreated, and abused, fans have been ripped off, and profits intended to be shared with other NFL franchises have been misrepresented in an effort to keep the money in-house as much as possible.

Former player LaVar Arrington wants a public apology, attorneys general are making bold statements, and fans are on the verge of giving the team up for good with some forsaking decades of family tradition in the process.

And according to the franchise and owner Dan Snyder, it's all for nothing, because they've done nothing wrong. 

The team issued a statement on Monday, denying the latest allegations Involving financial discrepancies and other accusations involving improper business practices. 

Prepared by team attorney Jordan Siev, the letter was addressed to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) chair Lina M. Khan, according to ESPN which says they obtained the letter. 

The letter provides a rebuttal to the allegations made by Jason Friedman, a former team employee who provided statements saying the team crossed several lines in an attempt to maximize profits for the organization. 

According to the report, three former team officials signed affidavits including former director of finance Paul Szczenski who stated in his, "I can state unequivocally that I never helped maintain, or saw anyone else maintain, a 'second set' of books."

While denying the allegations, the team's rebuttal also sought to discredit Friedman by clarifying his relationship and duties within the franchise, and specifying that his role wouldn't have given him access to some or all of the information he claims he either participated in or had intimate knowledge of during his time with the organization, which ended with his being fired in October 2020.

The team even turned over communications between Friedman and the organization demonstrating complementary dialogue the former vice president of sales and customer service sent to co-owner Dan Snyder, and an email sent to team president Jason Wright asking to return to the organization as recent as January 2022. 

Finally, the practice of selling general admissions tickets to football games to brokers instead of fans - which Friedman told the House Oversight Committee he was made the fall guy for - was apparently reported by one of the people accused in Friedman's statements, Mitch Gershman. 

Gershman, a former chief operating officer who at one point was also accused of sexual harassment, stated in his own affidavit that none of the practices described were approved by the team and that Friedman had entered into those agreements on his own. 

Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

The Washington Commanders had hoped a new name, logo, and uniform scheme would set the team onto a new chapter. But old problems continue to drag down the once proud franchise. 

Washington Commanders

Graphic from the Washington Commanders new branding reveal.

© Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Washington Commanders co-owner, Dan Snyder

Essentially, the team presented arguments directly conflicting with Friedman's accounts, and even flips the accusation arrow towards the complainant painting him to be a disgruntled former employee. 

Not the last we'll hear of this back and forth, I'm sure. 

But perhaps one step closer to finding out just what has been happening inside the Washington Commanders organization since Dan Snyder came into ownership of it. 

With accusations comes a requirement for evidence, as do rebuttals and counterclaims. 

The more of those we hear of, the more evidence will need to be presented, and the closer to the truth we become.