Conor McGregor took part in a half-time skit promoting a pain relief spray during Game 4 of the 2023 NBA finals at the Kaseya Center in Miami.Photograph: Rhona Wise/EPA
Conor McGregor is facing a new civil lawsuit filed by a woman accusing him of sexual assault during the 2023 NBA finals in Miami.
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in the US district court for the southern district of Florida, also names the Miami Heat and Basketball Properties LLC, which operates the Kaseya Center, as defendants. The woman alleges that McGregor sexually assaulted her in a bathroom at the arena after Game 4 between the Miami Heat and the Denver Nuggets on 9 June 2023.
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The plaintiff, identified as a 49-year-old Wall Street vice president, claims McGregor was overserved alcohol by arena staff despite being visibly intoxicated. The lawsuit accuses McGregor of battery and the Kaseya Center of gross negligence for failing to ensure a safe environment. It alleges that McGregor led the woman into a restroom stall and sexually assaulted her after an associate forcibly took her to McGregor.
The suit seeks compensatory damages exceeding $75,000, medical expenses, and other relief.
The incident was initially reported to Miami police on 11 June 2023. However, in October 2023, the Florida state attorney’s office declined to pursue criminal charges. McGregor has denied the allegations, calling them a “shakedown”. His attorney, Barbara Llanes, stated, “Almost two years and at least three lawyers later the plaintiff has a new false story. We are confident that this case too will be dismissed.”
The lawsuit also highlights an earlier incident that night when McGregor punched the Miami Heat mascot, Burnie, during a half-time skit promoting a pain relief spray, resulting in the mascot’s hospitalization. Despite this, arena staff allegedly continued serving McGregor alcohol.
The plaintiff’s attorney, Jim Dunn, emphasized that the civil suit is her only remaining avenue for justice. Dunn noted that his client aims to raise awareness about sexual assault and is concerned about the lawsuit’s potential impact on her career. “Nonetheless, her main goal in filing this suit is to raise awareness and encourage others to report sexual assault,” Dunn stated.
McGregor, one of the UFC’s most prominent fighters, has not competed since breaking his leg in a 2021 fight against Dustin Poirier. He was recently ordered to pay $264,000 in damages in a separate civil case in Ireland.
Neither the Miami Heat nor Basketball Properties LLC has commented on the latest lawsuit.