Conor McGregor has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman after an NBA game in Miami, Florida on Friday, June 9, according to a report from TMZ on Thursday, June 15.
McGregor, the Irish UFC star who appeared in an on-court promotion during the Miami Heat - Denver Nuggets NBA game on Friday night, denies the allegations.
According to TMZ, demand letters authored by attorney Ariel Mitchell and sent to McGregor's team, the NBA, and the Miami Heat this week allege that a woman was "violently" sexually assaulted in a men's bathroom at the Kaseya Center in Florida just after the basketball game finished on Friday.
Mitchell said that the woman was able to repeatedly elbow McGregor to allow her to escape. The victim reported the assault to local authorities on Sunday morning, June 11, where she was encouraged to seek out an attorney.
Mitchell told The Daily Mail that the woman handed in clothing to police that has McGregor's DNA - saliva and 'pre-ejaculation' - on it.
The woman is seeking settlements with the NBA, the Heat, and McGregor in lieu of litigation, TMZ reports Mitchell's letters as saying.
TMZ later reported on Thursday that the Miami Police Department confirmed it had been investigating the allegations since Sunday.
NBA spokesperson Mike Bass said: “We are aware of the allegations and are working with the team to gather more information.”
The Miami Heat said in a statement: “We are aware of the allegations and are conducting a full investigation.
“Pending the outcome of the investigation, we will withhold further comment.”
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) June 15, 2023
The UFC said: “The organization is aware of the recent allegations regarding Conor McGregor and will continue to gather additional details regarding the incident. UFC will allow the legal process to play out before making any additional statements.”
In the wake of the TMZ report, McGregor’s lawyer Barbara Llanes said in a statement: "The allegations are false. Mr. McGregor will not be intimidated.”
Conor McGregor in July 2021. (Getty Images)
Earlier this year, Spanish officials announced that McGregor was under investigation after being accused of physical assault in Ibiza. The case had been closed but a judge ordered it to be reopened after receiving more details about the alleged incident, AP reported on January 25.
The Majorca Daily Bulletin reported on January 24 that a woman told Irish police that she had to flee McGregor's yacht in Ibiza because she "feared for her life."
Karen Kessler, spokesperson for McGregor, later told the Majorca Daily Bulletin: "Mr. McGregor is steadfast in his denial of all the accusations made by a guest on his boat."
In 2020, McGregor was arrested and released for "attempted sexual assault and sexual exhibition." His representative said at the time that McGregor "vigorously denies" the allegations.
In 2019, McGregor pled guilty to punching a man in a Dublin pub. He was fined $1,116 and avoided any jail time.
Meanwhile, McGregor announced this week that he is expecting his fourth child with his fiancee Dee Devlin.
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