Patriots Players Caught in After-Hours Party at Boston Bar

Bodycam footage shows officers breaking up the late-night celebration with exotic dancers and hookah smoking

Mar. 13, 2026 at 1:37am

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Body-worn camera footage shows the moment officers broke up an after-hours party inside a Boston restaurant attended by New England Patriots players. The party, which took place just days after the team punched their ticket to Super Bowl LI, included exotic dancers, hookah smoking, and open bottles of liquor - all of which violated the restaurant's liquor license. The restaurant owner took responsibility for the incident, stating that the players and their 'entourage' brought their own entertainment and did not pay the full tab.

Why it matters

This incident highlights the sense of entitlement and privilege that some professional athletes can exhibit, as well as the challenges that local businesses face in managing high-profile clientele. It also raises questions about the responsibility of team owners and league officials in curbing such behavior from their players.

The details

According to the police report, officers were called to Estella, a Boston restaurant, around 2:30 a.m. on January 27th to investigate a noise complaint. In the bodycam footage, officers can be seen questioning a security guard at the door and then making their way downstairs, where they discovered partygoers drinking, smoking hookah, and some women who were naked or in bikinis running toward the back of the restaurant. The officers also noted the smell of marijuana and tobacco, as well as several open bottles of liquor. The owner of Estella, Helder George Brandao, told the officers that there were several Patriots players at the party, which he said they were 'celebrating the win' and getting ready to leave. Brandao took full responsibility for the incident, stating that he trusted the players to 'do the right thing' and that's when 'it went bad'.

  • The party took place around 2:30 a.m. on January 27, 2026, just days after the Patriots punched their ticket to Super Bowl LI.
  • The Boston Licensing Board penalized Estella last week with a three-day suspension as a result of the infractions.

The players

Helder George Brandao

The owner of Estella, the Boston restaurant where the after-hours party took place.

New England Patriots players

Several unidentified New England Patriots players attended the after-hours party at Estella.

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What they’re saying

“Why are you guys still playing music? It's after 2 a.m.”

— Police officer (WPRI)

“We're turning it off now.”

— Security guard (WPRI)

“They're just Patriots players. They were getting ready to leave. They were celebrating the win.”

— Helder George Brandao, Owner of Estella (WPRI)

“There's a sense of entitlement, like these players think they can do whatever they want.”

— Helder George Brandao, Owner of Estella (WPRI)

“It's on me, not my staff. I trusted these [players] to do the right thing and that's when it went bad.”

— Helder George Brandao, Owner of Estella (WPRI)

What’s next

The Boston Licensing Board has put the remaining two days of Estella's suspension on hold for a year, meaning the restaurant will only have to serve the suspension if there are any other violations during that time period.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the challenges that local businesses face in managing high-profile clientele, as well as the sense of entitlement and privilege that some professional athletes can exhibit. It also raises questions about the responsibility of team owners and league officials in curbing such behavior from their players.