It turns out Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling might have known he was being recorded when he allegedly unleashed a stream of racially charged statements that started a firestorm in the NBA.
V. Stiviano, the woman whose voice is on the recording at the center of the controversy, has said she and Sterling are not romantically linked, as was widely reported. Stiviano said she worked for four years as Sterling’s archivist, and as part of the job, she routinely recorded their conversations, according to TMZ.
Before the conversation in question, sources connected with Stiviano said she insisted it was clear to Sterling that the conversation was being recorded. The full conversation lasted for about an hour.
The source said Stiviano usually plays the tapes back for Sterling to hear, as he often forgets what he had said.
The recording is believed to have been made sometime after April 9, after Sterling and Stiviano got into an argument. He reportedly wanted her to sign a confidentiality agreement, which she refused to do. TMZ reported Sterling then denied making the comments on the tape, so she played it back for him before it was ever in TMZ’s hands.
Stiviano’s lawyers said their client did not release the audio to any news media.
Photo via Twitter/@stopbeingfamous
