Lincoln Adim, a contestant on the new season of The Bachelorette, was convicted of indecent assault and battery just one week before season 14 of the show premiered last month.
The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred on a cruise ship in Boston, Massachusetts in 2016, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office confirmed to Urban Hollywood 411.
“He was found guilty on May 21 of indecent assault and battery for groping and assaulting an adult female on a harbor cruise ship early on May 30, 2016,” Jake Wark, press secretary for the D.A.’s office, said in a statement. “He was sentenced to one year in a house of correction, with that term suspended for a two-year probationary period.”
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The judge also ordered him to stay away from the victim and attend three Alcoholics Anonymous meetings a week during those two years.
“If he complies with the judge’s orders, he will not have to serve out his term, but if he fails to comply with those orders or re-offends, he could be ordered to serve out the year behind bars,” the statement said. “By law, he is expected to register as a sex offender.”
Adim, 26, is an account sales executive in Los Angeles, according to his bio on the show’s website. Originally from Nigeria, he spent his teenage years in Boston, and recently moved to Southern California.
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He is one of 28 suitors competing for Bachelorette Becca Kufrin’s heart. The new season of the ABC dating series premiered on Monday, May 28.
Warner Bros. – which produces the show – told Urban Hollywood 411 on Wednesday evening that it was unaware of the incident or the charges.
“No one on The Bachelorette production had any knowledge about the incident or charges when Lincoln Adim was cast, and he himself denied ever having engaged in or having been charged with any sexual misconduct.” the WB statement said. “We employ a well-respected and highly experienced third party who has done thousands of background checks consistent with industry standards to do a nationwide background check in this case. The report we received did not reference any incident or charge relating to the recent conviction – or any other charges relating to sexual misconduct. We are currently investigating why the report did not contain this information, which we will share when we have it.”
It isn’t the first controversy this season on the series.
Contestant Garrett Yrigoyen issued a statement on Instagram on May 31, after reports surfaced saying he liked social media posts mocking undocumented immigrants, trans people and a student from Parkland High School.
“I am sorry to those who I offended, and I also take full responsibility for my ‘likes’ on Instagram that were hurtful and offensive,” he wrote. “I have learned an extremely valuable lesson.”
