Kobe Bryant, 41, and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna were sadly killed in a helicopter crash on Sunday.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, a big off-the-court scandal that damaged Kobe’s reputation resurfaced.

It happed on June 30, 2003, in a hotel room at the Lodge & Spa at Cordillera in the Rocky Mountains town of Edwards, Colo., where a 19-year-old lady working as a front-desk clerk joined Bryant on a tour of the facility.

She was invited into his room and later stated to authorities that they begun kissing.

However, the lady claimed that the subsequent s-xual experience was rape, while Bryant, who had been married to Vanessa Bryant for two years at the time, claimed that they had consensual intercourse.

A doctor discovered lacerations to the woman’s vaginal wall, a bruise on her neck, and blood in her underwear during a medical examination, which looked to substantiate the woman’s claim. Bryant’s clothing was also stained with blood, and he claimed police he hadn’t asked for her permission.

He was charged with s-xual assault and false imprisonment, and if convicted, he might have spent the rest of his life in jail, but the matter was never brought to court.

Following that, Kobe was pulled from lucrative partnerships, and the case would have changed history if it had gone through.

On Sept. 1, 2004, Eagle County prosecutors withdrew the criminal prosecution when the accuser refused to testify. In August 2004, the lady filed a civil complaint, which was settled out of court on March 2, 2005.

Vanessa stood by her husband throughout the incident, even sitting by his side for his denial news conference.

‘I’m innocent,’ Bryant said of the charges at the time, as his wife held his hand. ‘I sit here in front of you guys furious at myself, disgusted at myself for making the mistake of adultery.’

‘I love my wife with all my heart. She’s my backbone.’

Bryant, who died Sunday in a helicopter accident with eight other people at the age of 41, was questioned by Times writer J.A. Adande whether he was concerned about his reputation two weeks after the civil action was resolved.

Bryant said, “Um, no. No and yes. It’s important that the image that’s out there is the real image of who I am as a person, not something that’s fabricated, not something that’s gossip, you know what I’m saying? From that standpoint, I care about it.

“It’s just about you doing what is right. I think it’ll all come out sooner or later. There’s a lot of [charitable] stuff I’ve done in the past that I will continue to do that I don’t want credit for. I don’t want any. Because I don’t feel like that’s something that should be publicized.

“I hope, one day, people will look back on my career and see everything that I’ve been through, everything that my fans have been through . . . and I just stayed steady. I didn’t wig out. I just stayed steady, I stayed professional.

“At the end of the day, when it’s my last year, people can look back and say, ‘You know what? He had a hell of a career, he was a hell of a person.’”

Bryant’s image suffered greatly as a result of the allegations, but he restored it over the next 16 years and was a strong supporter of women and women’s sports before he died.

Bryant entered a not guilty plea on May 11, 2004, after almost a year of discovery and pretrial hearings. After adding libel attorney Lin Wood to her defense team, the accuser’s resolve began to wane as the case got closer to a trial. Wood was convinced that a criminal prosecution would be disastrous for her. According to numerous persons close to the prosecution, the accuser also seemed unprepared at a mock trial a week before jury selection was to begin.

Another element in the woman’s decision to urge prosecutors to dismiss the case was a series of errors made by the little court in Eagle, Colo., which her counsel claimed led her to lose trust in the legal system. Her identity was incorrectly leaked to the public three times, and a sealed transcript of a closed DNA evidence hearing was forwarded to seven media outlets, including The Times.

Kobe released a statement in which he acknowledged his claimed victim’s point of view, however it was carefully phrased to exclude the possibility that their meeting was a s-xual assault.

“First, I want to apologize directly to the young woman involved in this incident. I want to apologize to her for my behavior that night and for the consequences she has suffered in the past year. Although this year has been incredibly difficult for me personally, I can only imagine the pain she has had to endure.

(Picture: Getty Images)

“I also want to apologize to her parents and family members, and to my family and friends and supporters, and to the citizens of Eagle, Colorado. I also want to make it clear that I do not question the motives of this young woman. No money has been paid to this woman. She has agreed that this statement will not be used against me in the civil case.

“Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did. After months of reviewing discovery, listening to her attorney, and even her testimony in person, I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter.

“I issue this statement today fully aware that while one part of this ends today, another remains. I understand that the civil case against me will go forward. That part of this case will be decided by and between the parties directly involved in the incident and will no longer be a financial or emotional drain on the citizens of the state of Colorado.”

(Picture: Getty Images)

His wife remained by him throughout the rape case, even after he admitted to straying, but after fresh rumors of infidelity surfaced in 2011, she filed for divorce.

Bryant appeared to be on the verge of losing the majority of his income once more since the pair had not signed a prenuptial agreement before their marriage, but he and Vanessa put off their divorce in 2013 after working on their relationship.

Vanessa stated on Instagram at the time, “We are pleased to announce that we have reconciled.”

“Our divorce action will be dismissed. We are looking forward to our future together.