Los Angeles Rams’ Puka Nacua Facing Assault Lawsuit

Puka Nacua, a standout player for the Los Angeles Rams, is now at the center of a legal dispute. A woman has filed a lawsuit against him, alleging assault and battery for an incident that reportedly took place on New Year’s Eve. During this event, it’s claimed he bit her shoulder and directed anti-Semitic comments towards her.

This lawsuit was lodged in Los Angeles this week, as reported by TMZ. In addition to the assault and battery claims, it also includes accusations of gender-based violence and negligence.

The plaintiff, Madison Atiabi, along with her lawyer, Joseph Kerr, asserts that Nacua shouted anti-Semitic slurs while they were in Century City, which allegedly caused her considerable emotional distress. Atiabi has gone so far as to say that Nacua bit her shoulder while they were in a van late at night, leaving bite marks, and also claims he bit a friend’s thumb.

Nacua’s attorney, Levi McCathern, has firmly denied the allegations, asserting that Nacua did not make any anti-Semitic remarks. He characterized the bite as “horseplay.” Interestingly, he suggested that the entire allegation might be an attempt at extortion, calling the bite a “temporary trail.”

In December, Nacua had previously issued an apology for certain behaviors deemed “anti-Semitic” during a YouTube livestream. He had been discussing a touchdown celebration on a stream hosted by YouTuber Adin Ross at that time.

This celebration brought a fair amount of scrutiny, with some suggesting it perpetuated negative stereotypes about Jewish people. In the video, Ross was seen instructing Nacua in a manner that he calls his own “dance,” instructing him to bend and rub his hands together.

Nacua’s reflection on the situation included, “When I appeared on a social media livestream, I was encouraged to perform a specific movement as part of my celebration. I truly didn’t recognize at the time that this act could be construed as anti-Semitic.” He further stated that he doesn’t endorse any form of hatred or bigotry and apologized to those offended by his actions.