A civil lawsuit has been filed against Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua, alleging the third-year pro made an “unprovoked antisemitic statement” in the presence of a Jewish woman and bit two women on New Year’s Eve, according to ESPN.
Nacua’s attorney has denied the allegations, and said the lawsuit is “not a legitimate legal claim” and that Nacua plans to file a defamation lawsuit.
Here’s the latest.
What is being alleged in the lawsuit
The plaintiff, Madison Atiabi, claims that Nacua made an offensive remark regarding Jews during a dinner and, according to the lawsuit, he “became intoxicated and was acting strange and ‘touchy feely’ with the women at the dinner,” The Athletic reported.
Following the dinner, the group loaded into a Sprinter van and, according to the lawsuit, Nacua allegedly bit Atiabi on the left shoulder — hard enough to leave an imprint that was later photographed — as well as one of her female companions, The Athletic reported.
Atiabi alleges that the biting incident occurred without consent or provocation, according to The Athletic.
News of the lawsuit was first reported by TMZ.
Atiabi filed for a temporary restraining order against Nacua, but that request was denied, according to ESPN.
The response from Puka Nacua’s attorney
In a statement shared on social media by TMZ’s Michael J. Babcock, Nacua’s attorney, Levi McCathern, said that Nacua “denies these allegations in the strongest possible terms. We will be filing a defamation lawsuit and pursuing all available legal remedies in response to these false and damaging statements.”
McCathern said “this matter is not sexual in nature, nor does it involve any allegation of domestic violence.”
He added, “It also doesn’t involve any elements of antisemitism.”
The Los Angeles Times reported that McCathern has spoken to witnesses — including other Rams players that were present — and they did not hear Nacua make an antisemitic remark.
McCathern described the biting incident as innocent “horseplay” to the Los Angeles Times.
In the statement from McCathern, the attorney said he has video evidence that Atiabi continued to spend time with Nacua following the incident, conduct that is inconsistent with the allegations being made against Nacua.
“In the months that followed, our office was contacted with demands for millions of dollars in exchange for not publicizing these allegations,” McCathern said in the statement. “That is not a legitimate legal claim — it is blackmail.”
Nacua’s attorney did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment from the Deseret News.
In December, Nacua apologized for an antisemitic gesture he made during an appearance on a livestream with Adin Ross and N3on, as the Deseret News previously reported.
“When I appeared the other day on a social media livestream, it was suggested to me to perform a specific movement as part of my next touchdown celebration. At the time, I had no idea this act was antisemitic in nature and perpetuated harmful stereotypes against Jewish people,” Nacua said in an apology on Instagram regarding the incident.
“I deeply apologize to anyone who was offended by my actions as I do not stand for any form of racism, bigotry or hate of another group of people.”
What’s next
A hearing in the case is scheduled for April 14, according to multiple reports.