Conor McGregor has been cleared of criminal charges related to the alleged sexual assault at a Miami Heat NBA Finals game on June 9, 2023. Due to “insufficient evidence” and a lack of ”contradicting or no corroborating witnesses” to the alleged incident, a case against the UFC fighter could not be pursued.
Prosecutors reviewed footage of an encounter which showed McGregor entering a bathroom with his accuser, and also factored in the account of an attendant, who told them they “did not hear any signs of distress or sounds that would corroborate that whatever was occurring was not consensual.”
A friend of the accuser also told prosecutors that she was not told McGregor committed sexual assault when they discussed the events of the evening.
Prosecutors also mentioned that the accuser was quoted as asking detectives if they believed that McGregor “would like to ‘settle’ or ‘pay her off’ if she did not pursue charges.” Given the circumstances, it was determined ““the State would not be able to satisfy its burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt.”
McGregor’s attorney Barbara Llanes released the following statement:
“After a thorough investigation, including a review of videos and interviews with eyewitnesses, the authorities have concluded that there is no case to pursue against my client, Conor McGregor. On behalf of my client, his family and his fans we are pleased this is now over.”
The former two-division UFC champion has recently re-entered the USADA drug-testing pool to enable a comback in 2024, his first fight since breaking his leg in a trilogy bout against Dustin Poirier in July 2021.