But when one of her ex-husband’s accusers, NBC News producerBrooke Nevils, came forward to further accuse the oustedTodayshow anchor of rape, Roque broke her silence in an exclusive statement to PEOPLE through her attorney.
“In response to your inquiry, our client has asked us to tell you that now that the parties are officially divorced, her priority and only concern is for their wonderful children,” Roque’s lawyer John M. Teitler said. “Our client will make no further statements.”
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In his ownlengthy statementtoVarietydenying the rape allegation, Lauer described his relationship with Nevils as “extramarital, but consensual.”
“The details I have written about here open deep wounds for my family. But they also lead to the truth,” he said. “For two years, the women with whom I had extramarital relationships have abandoned shared responsibility, and instead, shielded themselves from blame behind false allegations. They have avoided having to look a boyfriend, husband, or a child in the eye and say, ‘I cheated.’ They have done enormous damage in the process. And I will no longer provide them the shelter of my silence.”
Nevils’ account was made public whenVarietyafter the magazine published details fromRonan Farrow‘sCatch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators,in which she alleges that Laueranally raped her in his hotel roomat the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
“It was nonconsensual in the sense that I was too drunk to consent,” she reportedly tells Farrow in the book. “It was nonconsensual in that I said, multiple times, that I didn’t want to have anal sex.”
Nevils says in the book that she had more sexual encounters with Lauer back in New York City, according toVariety, telling Farrow: “It was completely transactional. It was not a relationship.”
In light of the bombshell allegation, PEOPLE is looking back at Lauer and Roque’s rocky marriage and recent divorce.
Lauer and Roquewedin October 1998 after meeting on ablind date.In the wake of his firing, several insiders told PEOPLE that the anchorwas allegedly often unfaithfulto Roque.
“By Matt’s own admission there were struggles and challenges with his wife,” said one source. “Like many couples, they struggled with a modern marriage.”
A former longtime colleague of Lauer’s said the marriage “was never good,” adding thatLauer’s reputation as a ladies’ man bothered his wifeeven before they wed.
“He was a player when she met him and she knew that,” the colleague said. “Even many years ago, he was a flirt, a philanderer. He did his thing.”
And after Nevils accused Lauer of rape this week,a source told PEOPLE: “People knew Lauer was having affairs but nobody ever knew it was with people associated with NBC. People knew he would act overly flirtatious with the junior employees around the office. He would take them out for drinks, maybe not to get them drunk, but it wasn’t uncommon that he would go out for drinks with junior people at NBC.”
Both spouses have been open about marital troubles in the past. Roque once filed for divorce from Lauer in 2006, citing “cruel and inhumane” behavior, though she withdrew the petition three weeks later.
In 2010, the couple denied a report that Lauer had moved out of their New York City apartment.
“Have we had a completely perfect, easy marriage? No. But the stories you’ve read over the years are not true,” Lauer said. “I don’t think we’re any different than any married couple that’s been together for 12 years.”
Roque said in a separate interview with PEOPLE, “Out of self respect, I want to stand up for our family and protect them.”
“They wereworking through their issues at first— they were never hopeful of working it out,” said the source. “But it took her a long time to work through it.”
“Annette needed time to figure out what she wanted and wrap her head around it all,” continued the source. “From the beginning, it was never like ‘We are done.’ It was like, ‘What is this?’ She needed time to figure things out and she realized —and he did, too — that the best thing was to split up.”
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Just weeks after his firing, PEOPLE confirmed the two wereno longer wearing their wedding rings, though a source said Lauer was “fighting to save the marriage.”
“He doesn’t want a divorce,” the source said at the time. “Both of them, their first thought is their children.”
By April 2018, a source revealed that the couple was“preparing for divorce.”
“He is truly devastated and wants to make up for anything he has done to hurt people,” said the source. “But the damage in his marriage can’t be fixed, and each would be better off to move on. They know this, but the kids are important to both of them.”
As they worked to finalize the terms of their divorce, the exes continued to live in their Hamptons compound with their three children. According to a source, Lauer was staying in the guest house.
In August 2018, it was reported that Lauer couldpay Roque up to $20 millionin the settlement and that they agreed to share custody of the children.
That November,a source told PEOPLEthat “the divorce is still not final but Annette will get a lot of money. He took a financial hit with all this,” and added: “Annette’s going to get a lot of money. Everybody’s pretty sure he’s going to have to give her the horse farm. That’s her love.”
“He and Annette are co-parenting,” another source added at the time. “They’re just all business. They have to talk and theyeven spend some time together as a family, but when they do it’s not about them it’s about the children.”
In June 2019,PEOPLE confirmed Lauer’s plans to sell the family’s $44 million Hamptons home.
The house — a beachfront estate he bought for $36.5 million from actor Richard Gere, according to theNew York Post— is a 12-bedroom, 12-bath property, known as Strongheart Manor. It features a 14,000-square-foot main house with two guesthouses and a basketball court on six acres.
“The case, which is an uncontested matrimonial, was filed on July 9th in State Supreme Court in Suffolk County, New York and is awaiting judicial review of the agreement,” said Chalfen. “Upon a judge’s signature, it will be sent to the court clerk’s office to be entered. The process could take up to a few months.”
Roque’s attorney told PEOPLE, “The matter has been settled.”
And in early September, PEOPLE reported that thedivorce had been finalized.
“They are both focused on their three children,” one source close to Lauer said.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go toonline.rainn.org.
source: people.com
