Food Network star Darnell “SuperChef” Ferguson is facing criminal charges relating to domestic violence after it was alleged that he had threatened to murder his estranged wife in Kentucky and strangled her.
According to an updated case history file published by the Kentucky Court of Justice, the 36-year-old chef’s case was submitted to a grand jury on Thursday following a preliminary hearing. The hearing before the grand jury is set for the week of February 19.
Ferguson was taken into custody on January 9 in the Louisville suburb of St. Matthews on felony accusations of strangling and burglary, as reported by People. In addition, he is charged with misdemeanor offenses such as assault, menacing, terroristic threats, and criminal mischief.
For allegedly stealing his estranged wife’s credit card and ID, theft-receipt of a stolen credit or debit card, but the allegation was dropped at the preliminary hearing, according to the file.
Statement from Ferguson’s Attorney
Ferguson’s lawyer, Krsna Tibbs of Tibbs Law Office, sent People the following statement after Thursday’s preliminary hearing.
In the statement, it was written that Mr. Ferguson is adamant about his whole innocence and believes he will be cleared once all the details are revealed.
Although today’s hearing was preliminary, the Louisville police presented several new information that started to provide a detailed picture of the events of January 2, 2024. At this time, Mr. Ferguson is entirely preoccupied with his family’s security and well-being, and he requests that their privacy be respected.
According to reports, Darnell pleaded not guilty & is out on bail currently. In a warrant that was previously examined by People and submitted to the Kentucky Court of Justice, Darnell is accused of breaking into Tatahda’s St. Matthew’s house beating the walls, and cursing at her.
Then, according to reports, he threatened to murder her by grabbing her by the neck and strangling her.
She was unable to breathe and lost consciousness
According to the warrant, St. Matthews reported losing consciousness and was breathless.
The warrant said that after the victim got back to consciousness, she was on the ground and Darnell then tore off the victim’s shorts, causing a scratch to the victim’s upper thigh. He insisted on seeing the victim’s private area and declared that she was his and nobody else’s.
The warrant also stated that Ferguson’s behavior, placed her in a constant fear of being sexually assaulted, according to St. Matthews, who reported this to police.
After reaching the home, police clicked pictures of the victim’s wounds, which had redness, scratches, and pain to her neck and a deep scratch to her upper thigh, according to the warrant. After that, she was brought to the hospital for care and treatment.
According to a statement Tibbs sent to PEOPLE last week, Darnell and his wife are separated and working together to find a new balance in the family.
The Attorney played a big role
The attorney continued, that on January 2, they disagreed that was later falsely and misleadingly reported to the authorities. Lawyers said that they are positive that these matters will settled quickly and in a manner that causes the least amount of tension to their family of eight children.
The statement also said that they ask for peace and privacy for the entire family so that they can heal and continue to co-parent as they move forward with the divorce procedure.
An immediate response was not received by PEOPLE from Tatahda’s legal representative.
According to the Food Network website, Darnell is a well-known chef, restaurateur, and businessman who presently presents the show Superchef Grudge Match. He and Anne Burrell co-hosted Season 25 of Worst Cooks in America at the beginning of 2023.
Additionally, he has judged Chopped and Guy’s Grocery Games regularly participated in three seasons of Guy Fieri’s Tournament of Champions, and most recently made appearances on Food Fantasies and The Big Holiday Food Fight on OWN.
Darnell Ferguson’s Net Worth
Ferguson’s wealth grew while he was a Tournament of Champions competitor. He also took first place in other competitions, such as the Ultimate Thanksgiving Challenge.
Chef Ferguson gained notoriety on television as a result of these victories. He appeared on shows like The Rachel Ray Show, Beat Bobby Flay, and the 700 Clubs over the years. At the moment, Darnell Ferguson’s estimated net worth is $1 million.
