Report: Police Investigating Sexual Assault Allegations Made Against B.J. Penn

Police in Hilo, Hawaii, have reportedly launched an investigation into the allegations of sexual assault made against former UFC champion B.J. Penn.

Citing unnamed sources, MMAFighting.com on Monday reported that the Hilo Police Department has launched a second-degree sexual assault investigation into the matter, which was made public in February.

The incident in question took place in Hilo on Aug. 31, 2015, and allegedly involves Penn and a 29-year-old woman who is the girlfriend of a former BJPenn.com employee. Penn, 37, has denied the allegations and claims that is being extorted.

UFC officials commented on the matter in February and, in a statement, said that Penn would not be booked for a fight until “more details” of the incident came to light. The company also said the allegation would be “investigated by an independent party and thoroughly reviewed by the UFC.” Last week, the company officially announced that Penn will return to the Octagon against Dennis Siver at June’s UFC 199.