A lawyer for Madison Atiabi claims that prior to her lawsuit against Puka Nacua regarding an incident on New Year’s Eve, a representative of the Rams player reached out with an offer to “make everything better.”
According to attorney Joseph Kerr, a colleague of Nacua’s attorney, Levi McCassan, tried to reach Atiabi around six weeks after Nacua allegedly bit her during an outing in Los Angeles on December 31, 2025. This contact occurred in February, Kerr noted in a statement to the California Post on Wednesday.
“On February 11, 2026, Jennifer Faulk attempted to get in touch with the victim to discuss ‘making everything better,'” Kerr said.
He explained that this message eventually led to a mediation meeting involving Atiabi, Nacua, and their legal teams earlier this month, but discussions fell through without a resolution.
“Mr. Nacua’s attorney traveled from Texas for the March 11, 2026 meeting,” Kerr shared. “Ultimately, the matter remained unresolved, leading Mr. McCassan to threaten to expose the victim and tarnish her name via TMZ.”
Kerr filed a new request for a restraining order against Nacua on behalf of Atiabi on Tuesday, as well as a lawsuit against the NFL player the following day.
Both legal actions accuse Nacua, 24, of making Atiabi uncomfortable at a dinner by making disparaging remarks and then allegedly biting her shoulder in a van after dinner.
In response, McCassan and Faulk have categorically denied these claims in separate statements. McCassan mentioned that there are “several sober witnesses who contradict” Atiabi’s account regarding the supposed anti-Semitic remarks.
“That’s absolutely false,” he asserted.
Regarding the biting incident, Faulk described it as a trivial interaction between Nacua and Atiabi.
“When I learned she was upset in February, I reached out and apologized for the playful behavior,” Faulk commented.
Both McCassan and Faulk claim they have multiple videos depicting Atiabi appearing unconcerned about her encounter with Nacua on New Year’s Eve.
“There are three videos available,” McCassan stated, noting that Atiabi is seen enjoying herself by dancing in them, with Nacua visible in the background. He argued that her demeanor contradicts that of someone genuinely distressed.
However, Kerr strongly disagrees with McCassan’s portrayal of the events.
“We are frustrated that Mr. McCassan chose to publicly disparage the plaintiff with comments designed to distract from the fact that Ms. Atiabi was violently assaulted after Mr. Nacua made offensive remarks at dinner,” Kerr said. “This wasn’t just a playful incident; it was an attack, which Mr. Nacua’s team cannot deny.”
Kerr also noted that Atiabi tried to salvage the remainder of the night after the incident.
“We believe the civil and criminal processes should move forward without interference from Mr. McCassan and his team,” Kerr added, stating a desire for justice without further victim-blaming.
Atiabi’s request for a restraining order was temporarily denied, with a hearing set for April 14. The legal proceedings continue.
In terms of potential criminal charges against Nacua, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office indicated that the allegations are under investigation.
