San Francisco 49ers co-owner and CEO Jed York was arrested Sunday in East Palestine, Ohio, on suspicion of engaging in prostitution. The married 46-year-old, who has two children and an estimated net worth of $500 million, was released after posting a $5,000 bond.
Court documents allege that York arranged to have sexual activity with a woman in exchange for $140. He reportedly contacted her through an advertisement on a prostitution website in Columbiana County. Upon arriving at the arranged location, believed to be the Wheat Hill Mobile Home Community, York was met by law enforcement. He was taken into custody when an agent with the Mahoning Valley human trafficking task force found his cellular device, which had been used to arrange the criminal act.
York was initially charged with engaging in prostitution, but prosecutors later amended the charge to disorderly conduct. He also faced a charge of possessing criminal tools. On Monday morning, he pleaded no contest to both offenses. He was sentenced to one day in jail for each charge, to be served concurrently, and was credited with one day served. He was also fined $1,150.
Court records indicate that York's cellphone was returned to him, and $160 seized during the arrest was to be provided to the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force as part of the plea agreement. York also completed an online course as part of the resolution. He has since filed a request to have the incident expunged from his record.
The NFL has stated that it is aware of the matter and will review it under its personal conduct policy. The 49ers organization issued a brief statement acknowledging the legal matter has been resolved and that they would not comment further.
York, who has been married to Danielle Belluomini since 2011 and has two sons, is the son of Denise DeBartolo York and John York, who took control of the 49ers when Jed's uncle, Eddie DeBartolo Jr., was convicted in a gambling fraud scandal. Eddie DeBartolo Jr. owned the team during their dynasty in the 1980s and 1990s. Jed York began working for his father in the early 2000s and was named CEO in 2008. He became the principal owner in 2024.
Under his ownership, the 49ers have won five NFC West titles, reached seven NFC Championship Games, and appeared in three Super Bowls. The team has not won the Super Bowl since 1994. York also oversaw the construction of Levi's Stadium, which opened in 2014 and has hosted two Super Bowls, a World Cup, and a College Football Playoff title game. He is also a co-owner of Leeds United and Rangers F.C.
The incident involving York occurs during an offseason that has also seen 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan involved in a car crash. On July 14, Shanahan collided with another vehicle in Palo Alto while reportedly reaching for his phone. The crash resulted in Shanahan sustaining a concussion, broken ribs, a broken nose, a broken hand, and numerous stitches. He stated he was driving at approximately 20 mph with his Tesla in autopilot mode at the time of the incident.