“My client took full responsibility for this misunderstanding and resolved the matter by pleading guilty," Chestnut's attorney said
Credit: Manny Carabel/WireImage
NEED TO KNOW
- Competitive eater Joey Chestnut was sentenced to 180 days of probation after pleading guilty to misdemeanor battery following a bar altercation in Indiana
- He will be on probation during the annual Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest, which Chesnut has won 17 times
- His legal team said in a statement that he “regrets engaging and the interaction being misinterpreted”
Hot dog eating champion Joey Chestnut will be on probation while seeking to defend his crown on the Fourth of July.
Chestnut, 42, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery last month following an altercation at a bar, and he was sentenced to 180 days of probation, according to CBS Sports and USA Today.
Despite the sentence, Chestnut has been granted a petition to travel outside of the state of Indiana where he lives and where the altercation took place. He told USA Today that he is free to return to New York City, where the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest occurs each year in Coney Island.
"I have no restrictions,'' Chestnut told the outlet.
Credit: Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty
Chestnut’s criminal charge stems from an altercation that took place on March 21 in Hamilton County, Indiana, according to the outlets.
According to court records obtained by USA Today and CBS Sports, the competitive hot dog eater exchanged a handshake with someone who recognized him at a bar before striking the man on the side of his face “with an open hand.”
When Chestnut was questioned about the incident by police, he told them that he had been "pretty drunk and didn't remember" the altercation, per CBS Sports. After watching a surveillance video of the incident, he reportedly said the slap "looked like a joke" and didn't realize it was going to be reported to police.
PEOPLE has reached out to Chestnut’s attorney, Mario Massillamany, for comment.
Massillamany told US Weekly in a statement: “My client took full responsibility for this misunderstanding and resolved the matter by pleading guilty to a lesser-included offense of Class B misdemeanor battery, one of the lowest-level misdemeanor offenses under Indiana law.”
Chestnut’s legal team added in a statement that the 17-time hot dog eating champion “regrets engaging and the interaction being misinterpreted.”
Credit: Adam Gray/Getty
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“He strives to always connect in a fun manner with fans. In this case, some inappropriate things were said that Joey reacted to,” his legal team continued. “He’s committed to avoiding being in those situations going forward.”
Chestnut notably returned to Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest in 2025 after missing out the prior year by breaching his contract after signing an endorsement deal with Impossible Foods.
The 42-year-old shoveled 70.5 hot dogs and buns into his mouth in just 10 minutes last year in order to win the $10,000 cash prize. He also extended his recorded wins in the tournament to 17.
Read the full article here
