This NHL Team Owner Is Accused Of Abusing His Kids & Throwing His 5-Year-Old Across A Room

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The owner of the Vancouver Canucks, Francesco Aquilini, allegedly physically and psychologically abused his four children. The accusations against the NHL team owner were made in the B.C. Supreme Court on Tuesday, during a hearing about paying child support for university expenses.

Aquilini has denied the child abuse allegations both in court and in a statement.

CBC News reported that the allegations made in court stated he "beat a sleeping child and threw a five-year-old across a bedroom."

The news outlet added that his ex-wife, Tali'ah Aquilini, was seeking monetary support from the Canucks owner for three of their children, as well as their university expenses.

The three youngest children, now 20, 22 and 24 years old, are all in school and reportedly told their mother of physical and psychological abuse from their father. The fourth child is considered an adult.

The children all submitted affidavits to the court, and one report said that one of the children was punched in the stomach, per CBC.

The eldest sister of the children allegedly sent a letter to their father in 2020, which reportedly read: "Your relationship with us is a direct consequence of your treatment toward us, whether you'd like to acknowledge it or not. We all hold many individual accounts of your abuse towards us."

In this same letter, the sister stated neither she nor her siblings wanted any contact with their father, Francesco Aquilini, as reported by CBC.

One of the children also claimed they saw their father throw a sibling across the room, who was 5 years old at the time.

A statement made on behalf of Francesco Aquilini said he is "outraged" by the child abuse accusations.

The statement included that the couple divorced in 2013 and that he has met child support obligations and now "has concerns about the veracity of the information provided in support of financial demands."

"It is unfortunate that allegations without merit are brought forward for a collateral purpose," it added.

The presiding judge delayed her decision, and a date for the next court appearance has not yet been set.