Report: Genessis Alarcon Pressured by Timbers not to Press Charges in Andy Polo Case

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An attorney for Genessis Alarcon, the
estranged wife of former Portland Timbers winger Andy Polo, released
recordings purportedly featuring Timbers representatives discussing potential
domestic violence charges being brought against Polo.

ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle reported lawyer
Michael Fuller claimed two members of the Timbers organization, head
of security Jim McCausland and an unnamed female colleague, showed up
to the home Alarcon shared with Polo to discuss the case around two weeks
after the May 23 incident in Washington.

The woman is heard telling Alarcon the
charges that could be brought against her husband if she decided to
move forward with the case, per Carlisle.

“Of course, we’re hoping you say
no, you do not [want to press charges],” she said.

In a separate recording, the woman
describes the potential difficulties of going forward with the case,
such as testifying in front of a judge.

The audio appears to back up what
Alarcon told Carlisle in a previous interview about the Timbers’
efforts to avoid legal proceedings.

“They were going to help me and
make sure me and my kids didn’t get left on the street,” she
said. “They were going to make sure that Andy was going to be
responsible for me and my kids, but it never happened. I was told this
would be in exchange for not pressing charges.”

MLS announced an indefinite suspension
for Polo after learning of the allegations Feb. 9. One day later, the
Timbers released Polo and apologized for their lack of initial response:

“The Timbers were previously aware
of a dispute between Andy Polo and his partner on May 23, 2021, that
resulted in the Washington County Sherriff’s Office citing Polo for
harassment. That citation
was not subsequently pursued by the victim or the prosecutor’s
office. We deeply regret not suspending Polo immediately, especially
considering the troubling new details of abuse that surfaced this
week. It was a failure on our part, and one that will never happen
again.”

While Polo was cited for harassment, he
didn’t face domestic violence criminal charges.

Carlisle noted Fuller has filed a civil
lawsuit on Alarcon’s behalf seeking “fair compensation for
noneconomic damages in an amount determined by the jury to be
reasonable, and taxable costs.”

Polo, 27, has denied the allegations against
him.