(AP Photo/Josh Reynolds, File)
BOSTON (AP) — Celebrity chef Mario Batali has been cleared of sexual misconduct following a criminal trial in Boston. A Boston Municipal Court judge found him not guilty Tuesday after a two-day trial in which the chef had waived his right to a jury trial. A woman had accused Batali of forcibly kissing and groping her while taking a selfie at a restaurant in 2017. But Batali’s lawyer argued the accuser had a financial incentive to lie. Batali faced up to 2 1/2 years in prison if convicted. The 61-year-old former Food Network fixture’s career crumbled amid sexual misconduct allegations from four women in 2017.
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