NFL Quarterback Deshaun Watson Faces 23rd Lawsuit Over Alleged Sexual Misconduct

A new lawsuit alleging sexual assault and harassment during massage sessions was filed Tuesday against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, who now faces 23 civil cases. Tuesday’s suit alleges Nia Smith, who is identified by name and worked for A New U Salon Spa in Houston, had three meetings with Watson from June 2020 through Sept. 2020. In the first session, Smith states “things became progressively weird” and Watson wanted her to focus on his buttocks. A second session alleges Watson attempted to grab the plaintiff’s buttocks and brushed up against her rear, and also asked the plaintiff if she wanted to perform a sexual act. In the third and final session, Smith alleges Watson got naked in front of her, refused to cover himself and repeatedly requested she have sex with him. Watson denied the allegations through a statement by his attorney, Rusty Hardin. “Deshaun Watson vehemently denies the allegations, just as he has since she first discussed them with members of our firm in March of last year,” the statement read, in part. “She repeated the allegations on social media in August and he denied them then. The only thing new about her contentions is the embellishment making them more extreme than prior versions. Deshaun’s denial remains the same.

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