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Leeds United co-owner and San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York was arrested on Sunday in East Palestine, Ohio, on two misdemeanour charges, according to court records.
While York is seen sparingly at Leeds matches, he is one of the most important and influential faces in the NFL.
The 46-year-old was released on Sunday on an Own Recognisance (OR) bond, the Columbiana County Sheriff’s Office confirmed. He pleaded no contest to both charges — disorderly conduct and possessing criminal tools — on Monday.
An OR bond is described by Cornell Law School as: “a release, without the requirement of posting bail, based on a written promise by the defendant to appear in court when required to do so,” while pleading no contest means “they will not contest a charge”.
He was fined $150 (£110) for disorderly conduct and $1,000 for possessing criminal tools and sentenced to two days in jail. The fourth-degree disorderly conduct charge was originally listed as engaging in prostitution before it was changed.
Court records also ordered that a cellular device be returned to York and that $160, which was seized, be forfeited to the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force as part of an agreement by both parties.
Here, The Athletic explains who York is, his background and his relationship to Leeds.
Who is Jed York?
York is an American businessman who is the principal owner and chief executive of the San Francisco 49ers. He has also been a co-owner of Leeds since 2023 and of Rangers in the Scottish Premiership since 2025.
The 46-year-old has been the 49ers’ CEO since 2008 and became the principal owner in 2024. As the owner of one of the NFL’s 32 franchises, York’s name is well known across American sports.
His family has owned the 49ers since 1977. York was drafted into the family business and worked his way up from director of strategic planning to CEO.
According to Santa Clara County Superior Court documents, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, York filed for divorce from his wife of more than 15 years, Danielle Belluomini York, in May due to irreconcilable differences.
The dissolution of marriage case is pending as the couple awaits a court date, according to court records last available on August 12. They agreed to legal and physical joint custody of their two children, ages 13 and 10. The separation of property and assets was undetermined.
An NFL statement said: “We are aware of the matter, which will be reviewed under the personal conduct policy.”
How much of Leeds do the 49ers and York own?
York’s shareholding in Leeds has never been publicly disclosed. On the club’s official website, under its ownership structure, a statement says: “Leeds United Football Club Limited is 100 per cent owned by 49ers Enterprises Global Football Group LLC, a company registered in Delaware.
“Paraag Marathe (club chairman) and Jed York own over 10 per cent in the 49ers Enterprises Partners LLC (the only entity that holds voting rights in the owner, 49ers Enterprises Global Football Group LLC).”
Leeds chairman Paraag Marathe (Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)
How involved is he at Leeds?
York is not at every Leeds game, but can generally be seen around a dozen times each season at Elland Road and away from home. He has worked closely with Marathe, who came through the ranks at the 49ers before breaking away from the NFL franchise this month, for many years.
York is not listed on the board of directors at Leeds and does not hold a formal, named role in the day-to-day running of the club — but he is influential.
In September 2023, following the 49ers Enterprises takeover at Leeds, he was officially recorded at Companies House as an individual with significant control at the club. According to UK government guidance, a person with significant control (PSC) is someone who owns or controls a company. They are sometimes called ‘beneficial owners’.
A PSC is usually anyone who has more than 25 per cent of the shares or voting rights in a company, can appoint or remove a majority of directors or can influence or control a company or trust.
They might influence or control a company through other means, directly or on behalf of someone else. For example, someone may influence or control the actions of directors or shareholders.
Just two months ago, Marathe mentioned York in a written statement to supporters. The chairman said: “There is no question about it that the group that we have, the ambition that we all have. We have a really good group even at the board side.
“I often say, ‘You are only as good as the company that you keep’. We have such an incredible board with Andrew Schwartzberg, Peter Lowy, Eugene Schneur, Andreas Dracopoulos, Robbie Evans and Jed York, and Oliver Mintzlaff from Red Bull. Everybody is so invested.”
In July 2023, after the 49ers investment vehicle took control from Andrea Radrizzani, a statement on the club website said: “49ers Enterprises, led by Marathe and 49ers CEO Jed York, has steadily supported and increased its investment in Leeds United over the past five years. Moving forward, the group will look to enhance all aspects of the club both on and off the pitch.”
Separately from Leeds, York is in a similar situation at Rangers. In May 2025, when Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises announced their majority ownership, York was mentioned alongside Marathe’s as the leaders of the 49ers investment entity.
Who else has control at Leeds?
The 49ers Enterprises group wholly owns United, but within that consortium, there are many investors with varying stakes. The most significant are the aforementioned board members: Marathe, Schwartzberg, Lowy, Schneur and Dracopoulos.
Red Bull is also credited with a shareholding in the club, while celebrities and elite sportspeople have also made their investment known over the last few years, including Michael Phelps, Will Ferrell and Larry Nance Jr.
On a day-to-day basis, Marathe is the chairman and ultimately calls the shots at Elland Road. Evans, the managing director, is the leader in Leeds, with Marathe still based in California.
Evans, sporting director Adam Underwood, head of recruitment Alex Davies and manager Daniel Farke also exert influence on transfers at Leeds.
Leeds head coach Daniel Farke (Daniel Bartel/Getty Images)
What have Leeds and the Premier League said?
Leeds and Rangers each declined to comment when approached by The Athletic, but did point to the statement provided by the San Francisco 49ers: “As this is a legal matter, which has been resolved, we will not be providing any further comment at this time.”
The Premier League declined to comment.
Could there be any implications for his role as an owner of Leeds?
York is not listed on United’s board of directors and his shareholding is not publicly known, but he is listed as a person with significant control at Companies House.
In England, there are two tests that set out the requirements any person must meet if they wish to be an owner, director or senior executive of a football club. The Premier League has its owners and directors test (OADT), while the independent football regulator (IFR) has its owners, directors and senior executives (ODSE) test.
The former outlines requirements that would prohibit an individual from becoming an owner or director of a club. These include criminal convictions for a wide range of offences, a ban by a sporting or professional body, or breaches of certain key football regulations, such as match-fixing.
In March 2023, clubs unanimously approved changes to the OADT, which included a range of new disqualifying events. One of these said: “Extending the list of criminal offences resulting in disqualification to include offences involving violence, corruption, fraud, tax evasion and hate crimes.”
In the case of the IFR’s test, the guidelines state that it will not automatically find someone unsuitable because they have been convicted of a criminal offence. On a case-by-case basis, the IFR will take into account the seriousness, nature, and circumstances surrounding the offence.
Additionally, the IFR will take into account the explanation offered by the individual, the relevance of the offence to the proposed role, the time since the offence and evidence of the individual’s rehabilitation.
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