Puka Nacua’s lawyer is vehemently refuting allegations made by a woman who claims the Rams player made anti-Semitic remarks and bit her during a New Year’s Eve event, describing the accusations as an attempt to extract money.
Responding to Madison Atiabi’s request for a restraining order against Nacua, 24, filed in Los Angeles on Tuesday, attorney Levi McCathern asserted that the two-time Pro Bowler “strongly denies these allegations” and plans to pursue a defamation lawsuit along with all other legal options against what he calls “false and harmful statements.”
“Let’s be clear about what this case is and isn’t,” McCathern stated. “This is not a sexual matter, nor does it involve domestic violence. If that were the case, the details would obviously be different. There are no anti-Semitic claims here, either. Sober witnesses have confirmed that Puka never made the comments attributed to him.” The statement was obtained by TMZ.
According to Atiabi’s filing, during a dinner on December 31, 2025, Nacua was “extremely physical with the girls” and allegedly said, “Fuck all the Jews.”
Atiabi, who identified as Jewish, expressed that she felt “immediately offended and emotionally distressed.”
As the evening went on, the situation escalated, as Nacua reportedly began acting in a “strange, erratic, and physically intrusive manner,” according to the legal documents.
The restraining order request alleges he bit Atiabi’s girlfriend’s thumb and then left a visible bite mark on Ataibi’s shoulder, claiming it was hard enough to leave an imprint of his teeth.
Weeks after the incident, Atiabi mentioned that she, along with a “crisis team” of attorneys, participated in a mediation meeting in March. Allegations surfaced that Nacua’s team threatened legal action against anyone who spread what they deemed false or exaggerated statements to the media regarding the events of December 31, 2025.
McCathern alluded to potential extortion, stating, “In the months that followed, our office was contacted and demands for millions of dollars were made in exchange for not disclosing these claims. This isn’t a legitimate legal issue—it’s a threat.”
“The timing of these recent legal proceedings – nearly three months post-incident, and coinciding with J.S.N.’s [$168 million] contract as a wide receiver – only serves to underline the lack of credibility of these claims,” McCathern added.
Nacua has expressed a strong denial of the accusations and intends to move forward with a defamation lawsuit against these “false and harmful statements.”
On Tuesday, the California Post reported that a judge temporarily denied Atiabi’s request for a restraining order, with a hearing slated for April 14.
McCathern did not provide immediate comments when reached for further clarification.
Nacua, a fifth-round pick by the Rams in 2023, had previously apologized in December for a touchdown celebration that included anti-Semitic imagery.
