This story has been updated from a previous version.
Conor McGregor has been accused of "violently" sexually assaulting a woman at Game 4 of the NBA Finals at Miami's Kaseya Center on Friday, June 9.
McGregor is alleged to have assaulted the woman inside a men's bathroom shortly after the Nuggets' victory over the Heat. He had previously been seen courtside at the game, and promoted his pain-relieving spray in a scripted halftime skit with Heat mascot Burnie. The MMA star sent the character's actor to the hospital after striking him twice.
According to letters written by attorney Ariel Mitchell and obtained by TMZ, McGregor allegedly used the help of NBA and Heat security personnel to separate his accuser from her friend. The letters allege security trapped her in a men's bathroom, where McGregor and his own security guard were already waiting; security then refused to let the woman exit the bathroom, or anyone else enter.
The letters depict several attempts by McGregor to assault the woman, whom Mitchell claims was finally able to flee after she repeatedly elbowed him. The letters add that she left her purse in the bathroom, and that McGregor's security personnel held the bag "hostage" as she asked them to return it.
The letters claim the woman finally escaped, eventually reporting the assault to local authorities on Sunday morning. TMZ, citing Mitchell directly, reports an officer encouraged the woman to seek an attorney.
TMZ later obtained footage from inside the Kaseya Center, taken roughly at midnight on Saturday, June 10. The video shows McGregor leaving a restroom area to speak with a woman before taking her by the hand and going inside a bathroom. Once the door shuts, three men who appear to be security guards assemble in front of the door.
TMZ obtained another video that showed McGregor with a woman, reportedly his accuser, nearly a half hour after the alleged incident took place. The video shows McGregor and the woman speaking before McGregor leaves the area.
Mitchell said in a statement to TMZ that the video shows the difference in how McGregor and her client were interacting, and noted the awkwardness between the two in the video after the alleged incident compared to how the two interacted in the previous video.
"My client has always stated that there would be video of before and after, and in those videos she emphasized that the difference in the interactions between them would be visibly noticeable," Mitchell said in a statement to TMZ Sports. "This again is another video that supports what my client has been saying and supports what she told the police since the inception of this incident."
McGregor's attorney, Barbara R. Lianes told TMZ the video shows that the allegations are false.
"While the claimant's story has changed yet again," Barbara R. Llanes said in a statement to TMZ, "our account of the evening has never changed. This video only reinforces our position. We look forward to the swift conclusion of the investigation."
Mitchell released another statement to TMZ, saying McGregor and his accuser were partying together at a club inside the Kaseya Center (corroborated by additional footage that shows him in the club with the woman). That stopped, Mitchell claims, when the MMA star said he needed to use the bathroom. Shortly thereafter, a man in a Nuggets jersey allegedly approached his accuser and said, "Conor told me to come get you."
My client was under the belief they were leaving and going to the Four Seasons Hotel, as Conor had previously asked her to join him at his hotel room.
The man with the braids then stopped at the door of the bathroom, when Conor grabbed my client (as seen in the video). My client believed they were leaving, but instead Conor took her into the restroom.
My client remembers having no less than six drinks that night and has admitted the parts she recalls. My client did not even recall who led her into the restroom until seeing this video.
TMZ initially reported the letters seek damages from the NBA, Heat and McGregor in lieu of litigation. McGregor has not been charged with a crime as of the time of this writing, though the outlet later reported that Miami-Dade police have been investigating the allegations since Sunday.
The 34-year-old has faced sexual assault allegations in the past.
He came under the investigation of Irish police in March 2019 after he was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in Dublin Hotel in December 2018. He was later arrested in Corsica in September 2020 on suspicion of sexual assault and indecent exposure in connection with an October 2019 incident.
Heat statement to Conor McGregor allegations
The Heat have released a statement acknowledging they are aware of the allegations.
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) June 15, 2023
UFC statement to Conor McGregor allegations
UFC has also issued a statement in response to the allegations against McGregor. Via Aaron Bronsteter of TSN Sports:
"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."
Conor McGregor response to allegations
Representatives for McGregor released a statement to TMZ calling the initial allegations false.
"Mr. McGregor will not be intimidated," it said.
Following TMZ's report of additional footage from inside the Kaseya Center, Llanes issued an additional statement to the outlet:
"After the video was released by TMZ, the claimant’s lawyer now has changed her story. Mr. McGregor welcomes the investigation, which he firmly believes will show the claims against him are false. After not responding to the demand for money made by claimant’s counsel, she turned to the media to apply pressure. This is no more than a shakedown."
This story will be updated.
