Exclusive | Puka Nacua likely won’t face charges after bizarre biting incident

Nypost · May 11, 2026 · 344 words · By Edward Lewis

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What to know about Exclusive

Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua could very well avoid criminal charges over allegations he bit a woman on New Year’s Eve.

Claims checked 8

Techniques found 0

Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center83%

Right17%

6 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua could very well avoid criminal charges over allegations he bit a woman on New Year’s Eve.

Why it matters

A spokesperson for the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office told The California Post on Monday that following an investigation into claims that Nacua attacked Madison Atiabi while the two were partying on Dec.

Common ground

31, prosecutors have opted against filing charges against the NFL superstar for now.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

Follow-up questions

What concrete event or decision sits underneath the headline: Exclusive?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that He later revealed Nacua had checked into rehab following the incident?
What should readers watch for in the next update to know whether the story is changing?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/05/11/sports/puka-nacua-likely-wont-face-charges-after-b…

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 8 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 5

info Single Source 2

verified Verified By Reference 1

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Claim 1: “He later revealed Nacua had checked into rehab following the incident.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent sources (The California Post, The Athletic, and others) confirm that Puka Nacua checked into a rehab/care facility in Malibu, as confirmed by his attorney.

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web search NEUTRAL — Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua checked into rehab at a Malibu facility this offseason. The news was first reported by The California Post and was confirmed by Nacua’s lawyer, Levi McCathern.
https://www.si.com/nfl/puka-nacua-checked-into-rehab-this-of…

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web search NEUTRAL — Nacua has checked into a private facility, his attorney, Levi McCathern, confirmed to The Athletic on Wednesday, “to focus on his health, personal growth and overall development.”Atiabi alleges that t…
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7165555/2026/04/01/puka-nac…

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web search NEUTRAL — Puka Nacua has checked into rehab following allegations he bit a woman while drunk on New Year’s Eve. The Rams receiver’s attorney, Levi McCathern, confirmed with The California Post on Wednesday that…
https://nypost.com/2026/04/01/sports/puka-nacua-checks-into-…

verified

Claim 2: “A City Attorney Hearing, according to the Los Angeles City Attorney’s website, “is an informal proceeding that is conducted as an alternative to a misdemeanor criminal prosecution.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

The definition of a City Attorney Hearing as an informal proceeding conducted as an alternative to misdemeanor criminal prosecution is directly confirmed by the official City Attorney website and legal reference sites.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026 Los Angeles City Attorney election will be held on November 3, 2026, to elect the city attorney of Los Angeles. Voters will take in a nonpartisan primary on June 2, with the top two candidate…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Los_Angeles_City_Attorney…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Los Angeles City Attorney is an elected official who serves as the City of Los Angeles' government's lawyer and as a criminal prosecutor for misdemeanor offenses only. The City Attorney is electe…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_City_Attorney

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The District Attorney of Los Angeles County is in charge of the office that prosecutes felony and misdemeanor crimes that occur within Los Angeles County, California, United States. The current distr…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_County_District_At…

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 3: ““This matter has been assigned for a City Attorney Hearing, a pre-filing diversion available to eligible individuals that is an alternative to misdemeanor criminal prosecution,” Ivor B. Pine told The Post.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The specific detail that Puka Nacua's case was assigned for a City Attorney Hearing as a pre-filing diversion is not corroborated by other independent news sources in the provided evidence; it appears to be a specific detail from the source article.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of people who identify, (or have identified if dead), as Latter Day Saints, and who have attained levels of notability. This list includes adherents of all Latter Day Saint movement den…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Latter_Day_Saints

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web search NEUTRAL — Makea "Puka" Nacua is an American professional football wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League. He played college football for the Washington Huskies and BYU Cougars an…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puka_Nacua

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web search NEUTRAL — View the profile of Los Angeles Rams Wide Receiver Puka Nacua on ESPN. Get the latest news, live stats and game highlights.
https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4426515/puka-nacua

+ 1 more evidence source

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Claim 4: “Nacua’s attorney, Levi McCathern, acknowledged his client did bite Atiabi, though he said it was the result of the two horseplaying.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources, including TMZ and court filings, confirm that attorney Levi McCathern acknowledged Nacua bit Atiabi but characterized it as 'horseplay'.

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web search NEUTRAL — Puka Nacua made some surprising allegations against his bite accuser, Madison Atiabi, in a new court filing the Rams star submitted on Tuesday.Nacua’s attorney, Levi McCathern, has acknowledged his cl…
https://nypost.com/2026/04/22/sports/puka-nacua-says-his-bit…

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web search NEUTRAL — Speaking to TMZ, Nacua’s attorney, Levi McCathern, denied that the NFL star made the antisemitic remark - but he did acknowledge the 24-year-old bit Atiabi, as well as other members of the group durin…
https://www.unilad.com/celebrity/news/puka-nacua-nfl-woman-f…

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web search NEUTRAL — Levi McCathern, Nacua’s attorney, again denied that his client made antisemitic remarks that night and said the petition filed against Nacua was “entirely baseless.”
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7196929/2026/04/15/puka-nac…

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Claim 5: “Atiabi’s civil case against Nacua remains ongoing.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm the existence of a civil lawsuit and describe it as 'ongoing' or refer to recent court filings related to the case.

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web search NEUTRAL — Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua has had multiple issues off the field over the past year and is the subject of an ongoing lawsuit.Atiabi filed a temporary restraining order against Nacua in early March,…
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7165555/2026/04/01/puka-nac…

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web search NEUTRAL — + A civil lawsuit has been filed against Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua, alleging the third-year pro made an “unprovoked antisemitic statement” in the presence of a Jewish woman and bit two…
https://www.deseret.com/sports/2026/03/26/puka-nacua-civil-l…

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Claim 6: “He [Levi McCathern] staunchly denied that Nacua ever uttered antisemitic remarks.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm that Levi McCathern denied the antisemitic remarks, stating that witnesses unequivocally denied they were made.

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web search NEUTRAL — For more search options, including the ability to search for certified specialists or other practice characteristics, try Advanced Search. You can also search for Provisionally Licensed Lawyers. See N…
https://apps.calbar.ca.gov/attorney/

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web search NEUTRAL — Use the largest online lawyers directory to find detailed profiles of qualified Irvine, CA attorneys and law firms in your area.
https://lawyers.findlaw.com/california/irvine/

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web search NEUTRAL — Compare Attorneys in Irvine, CA. Access business information, offers, and more - THE REAL YELLOW PAGES®
https://www.yellowpages.com/irvine-ca/attorneys

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Claim 7: “A spokesperson for the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office told The California Post on Monday that following an investigation into claims that Nacua attacked Madison Atiabi while the two were partying on Dec. 31, prosecutors have opted against filing charges against the NFL superstar for now.”

SINGLE SOURCE

While web search results confirm the LA City Attorney's office was reviewing the case, there is no independent corroboration from multiple sources that they specifically 'opted against filing charges for now' as reported by The California Post. Other sources only mention the review process.

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+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 8: “In a lawsuit she filed against Nacua in March, Atiabi claimed the two-time Pro Bowler offended her at a dinner by saying “f—k all the Jews,” before he bit her on her shoulder while they were in a sprinter van on their way to another location later in the evening.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent sources (The Athletic, ESPN, and other web results) confirm that Madison Atiabi filed a lawsuit alleging Nacua made an antisemitic remark ('F— all the Jews') and bit her on the shoulder.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Makea "Puka" Nacua (; born May 29, 2001) is an American professional football wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Washingto…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puka_Nacua

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web search NEUTRAL — In the lawsuit, Atiabi, who is Jewish, alleges that Nacua shouted “F— all the Jews” during a group dinner in Los Angeles and later bit her on the shoulder and her female friend’s thumb on New Year’s E…
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7196929/2026/04/15/puka-nac…

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web search NEUTRAL — The plaintiff, Madison Atiabi, claims that Nacua made an offensive remark regarding Jews during a dinner and, according to the lawsuit, he “became intoxicated and was acting strange and ‘touchy feely’…
https://www.deseret.com/sports/2026/03/26/puka-nacua-civil-l…

+ 1 more evidence source

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.