Deshaun Watson QB Hit With 5 More Lawsuits ... Accuser Says She Was 'Scared For Her Life'
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10:58 AM PT -- FIVE women have now filed lawsuits against Watson on Monday ... TMZ Sports has confirmed.
In the latest lawsuit, a female masseuse using the pseudonym Jane Doe says Watson reached out via Instagram in July 2020, set up a massage and then "assaulted and harassed" her during the appointment.
As with the other 11 Watson accusers, Doe is suing for unspecified damages.
8:32 AM PT -- One more female masseuse has filed a lawsuit against Watson ... bringing Monday's total to four and the overall total to 11 against the Houston Texans superstar.
In the third suit filed Monday, obtained by TMZ Sports, the woman is suing for unspecified damages after she claims Watson was sexually inappropriate with her during a massage in the Houston, Texas area in Jan. 2021.
Two more female massage therapists have filed lawsuits against Deshaun Watson ... with one accuser claiming the NFL star was so aggressive with her, she was "scared for her life."
TMZ Sports has obtained the two new suits -- bringing the official number to NINE total against the Houston Texans QB -- and in them, Watson is accused of more disturbing actions against women -- though he's denied ALL of the allegations from all of the accusers and said he's the target of a baseless money grab.
In one of the new lawsuits, a female masseuse -- identified as Jane Doe to protect her identity -- says she was first introduced to Watson in June 2020 after the NFL player had booked her through her manager.
Doe says she showed up to Watson's hotel in the Houston, Texas area to administer the massage ... but claims things quickly went sideways.
In the suit, the woman says a short time into the massage ... Watson became aggressive, and "groped her buttocks and vagina and then pushed her buttocks into his face."
The woman says she then slapped Watson, told him she didn't want that ... and claims the QB then apologized.
Doe says Watson then asked her to clean massage oil off of him because he had to leave for practice ... but she claims the quarterback "began using his penis to touch [Jane Doe's] hand."
She says was "mortified" by his actions ... and covered Watson's private area with a towel so she could finish wiping the oil off and leave.
Doe claims Watson only paid her $100 instead of the agreed-upon $300 ... saying the QB had told her manager that she "had not given him what he wanted."
Two months later, on Aug. 17, 2020 ... the woman says Watson reached out to her over Instagram to get another massage.
In her suit, the woman says she did not realize it was the same Watson ... and scheduled an appointment with the Texans player that same night at the spa she worked at.
Doe claims when Watson arrived ... she immediately recognized him and scolded him for "inappropriate" behavior in their previous meeting.
The woman says Watson apologized and "told her something to the effect that he had never been rejected by a woman before."
Doe claims she told Watson she was a lesbian and was not interested in him ... and says Deshaun "agreed to not be inappropriate again."
But, Doe says a short time later, Watson became aggressive ... made comments about her body.
The woman says she continued the massage in order to avoid trouble with her manager ... but she says at one point Watson pulled her close and said he wanted to ejaculate.
In the suit, Doe says she told Watson to "stop acting like a pervert" ... but says Deshaun continued with the sexual misconduct anyway.
The woman claims Watson asked her to perform oral sex on her ... and then "forced [Jane Doe's] mouth onto his penis." She says Watson's actions were so inappropriate, they made her "scared for her life."
Doe says Watson continued to push for oral sex -- and when she declined ... Watson let her go and then began masturbating in front of her.
The woman is now suing for unspecified damages.
The second suit filed on Monday contains similar allegations ... with another "Jane Doe" female masseuse alleging Watson was inappropriate with her during a March 2021 massage in the Atlanta area.
In the suit, the woman says Watson "put his penis on her hand" during their appointment ... but when she quickly moved away and made it clear she wouldn't go further with him -- she says the quarterback got dressed, paid her and left.
The woman is also suing for unspecified damages.
According to the attorney of the two women, several more lawsuits could be filed against Watson soon ... with Tony Buzbee claiming 22 women in total have come forward to him with allegations of sexual misconduct against the QB.
TONY BUZBEE
Buzbee added he's been in contact with both the Houston Police Department and the Houston District Attorney, cooperating in the potential criminal investigation into the claims.
For Watson's part, he's denied any wrongdoing ... insisting the entire thing is an effort by Buzbee to score an unwarranted payday from lying clients.
Originally Published -- 8:02 AM PT
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Buffoonery at San Diego Zoo Dad Brings His 2-Year-Old Into an Elephant Habitat, Drops Her
This guy definitely ain't winning Dad of the Year -- a man brought his 2-year-old INSIDE a caged elephant habitat at the San Diego Zoo... and fumbled the kid trying to make a run for it.
Who’s dumbass babydaddy is this 🤦🏻♂️
— Santi 🃏● 🇲🇽 (@heafukinsav) March 21, 2021 @heafukinsav
Dude almost got himself & his child killed by an elephant at the san diego zoo. pic.twitter.com/E2FNWANrjb
Check out this absolutely wild video of a father entering an enclosure that houses one of San Diego Zoo's African elephants, Shaba. The footage picks up with him already on dangerous ground with his toddler daughter in hand ... as shocked spectators look on.
He has his back turned to the elephant -- which is idiotic -- and before you know ... the beast is charging at him and his baby. Luckily, he notices in time and scrambles to get out -- but he almost forgets one important thing before fully exiting the area ... his damn kid!!!
Watch ... he actually drops the child on the ground, face-first, and it's left incredibly close to the elephant's feet -- which easily coulda crushed her. The dad picks up the baby in time, and makes a not-so-clean escape. All the while, the agitated elephant is roaring.
Father arrested after allegedly carrying toddler into San Diego Zoo elephant exhibit, dropping child during escape https://t.co/m4COfIVXG1 pic.twitter.com/chGeziHCPk
— Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) March 21, 2021 @ABC7NY
Now, if you're wondering if her pops -- aka Jose Manuel Navarrete -- had to pay a price for his stupid stunt ... the answer is a resounding yes. He was arrested by San Diego PD and booked on child endangerment charges -- Navarrete is being held on $100k bail.
As for Shaba ... fortunately, this doesn't appear to be another Harambe incident. The elephant is said to be fine, and doesn't face any life-or-death punishment for protecting its turf.
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Capitol Insurrection FBI Wants to Find Rioter Who Looks like Rick Moranis!!!
Rick Moranis seems to be wanted by the FBI for storming the Capitol -- at least that's what a lot of people are thinking based on photos the agency posted of the actual guy they're after.
Check out this dude that the FBI flagged and posted pics of on Sunday -- he's one of the several unidentified rioters who have since flown under the radar and escaped justice (for now) following the Jan. 6 insurrection. He's still out there, and Uncle Sam wants a chat.
The feds need help finding him, so they threw up a digital WANTED poster, writing ... "You can help the #FBI identify individuals involved in the January 6 violence at the U.S. Capitol. Visit http://tips.fbi.gov if you recognize this person. Reference photo 268 in your tip."
While he isn't a dead ringer for Moranis, tons of folks think this man bears a passing resemblance -- and, sure, we can admit ... they look similar.
The funny thing is ... Moranis is actually known for rocking helmets throughout his film career, especially in his heyday back in the '80s and '90s. Here's a quick rundown of movies he's in where he wears helmets/hard hats -- 'Honey, I Shrunk the Kids,' 'Honey, I Blew Up the Kid,' 'Honey, We Shrank Ourselves,' 'Ghostbusters,' 'Strange Brew 1 & 2,' 'Little Giants,' 'The Flintstones,' 'Big Bully' and of course ... the king of them all, 'Spaceballs'!!!
It's weird the Capitol rioter who looks like him was also wearing a helmet at the time.
Of course, we know that's not Rick ... and that the FBI isn't really looking for him. BUT, just to be accurate and to make sure we have all our ducks in a row here ... we reached out to both the FBI and Rick's team for clarification. Hey, better safe than sorry ... right?!?
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Sandra Oh 'I Am Proud to Be Asian' 'I Belong Here!!!'
Sandra Oh spoke about fear in the Asian community for only about a minute-and-a-half, but it was emotional and downright stirring.
Sandra grabbed a bullhorn and addressed a crowd in Pittsburgh Saturday at the Stop Asian Hate Rally in the wake of the Atlanta massacre, and her words fired up the crowd.
BREAKING: Sandra Oh speaks at a “Stop Asian Hate” demonstration in Oakland to about 250 people.
— Rebecca Johnson (@rebeccapaigejo) March 20, 2021 @rebeccapaigejo
“I am proud to be Asian,” she says. “We belong here.” pic.twitter.com/BCAtBpn4QQ
She acknowledged the fear ... saying, "many in our community are very scared," and telling them the way to blunt that is to stand strong as a community.
She also noted the violence this past week was the first time her community could rise up to express fear and anger.
And then, her call to action ... "To everyone here ... I will challenge everyone here, if you see something, will you help me? If you see one of our sisters and brothers in need, will you help us?" she continues, as people yell back, "Yes!" "We must understand, as Asian-Americans, we just need to reach out our hand to our sisters and brothers and say, 'Help me and I'm here.'"
Sandra inspired the crowd with a chant ... "I am proud to be Asian! I belong here!"
Watch the video ... it's pretty inspiring.
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Chicago Cubs Minor Leaguer Busted For Drugs ... 21 lbs. of Meth & More!!!
A Chicago Cubs prospect in their farm system got busted with a boatload of drugs -- so say police out of Colorado, who claim he was riding with a stash that would make Tony Montana blush.
25-year-old Jesus Camargo-Corrales was reportedly arrested this past week near Vail, where a sheriff's deputy says he saw Camargo's car speeding and changing lanes erratically. After pulling him over, Camargo and his 2 passengers said they were driving to Denver from Phoenix. They then gave conflicting stories on where they were going -- police then searched the vehicle.
A K-9 unit is said to have been brought in ... and cops say it sniffed something in the trunk. Cops say they discovered a Cubs duffel bag, which they claim contained 21 pounds of methamphetamine and 1.2 pounds of oxycodone pills ... plus other paraphernalia.
An arrest affidavit claims that, at first, Camargo tried playing dumb ... but then later allegedly admitted he'd been contacted by someone in Sinaloa, Mexico to deliver this bag to Denver -- and copped to the fact that he knew there might've been drugs inside, per law enforcement.
As for what his alleged payoff was going to be -- according to Camargo, per police -- for this run ... just a measly $500!!!
He was arrested and booked on drug charges, including unlawful distribution and possession of methamphetamine and oxycodone -- class 1 and class 4 felonies, respectively. Camargo is reportedly still in custody as of Saturday. Unclear if he's been arraigned on the charges yet.
The Cubs, for their part, say they're aware of the situation and are investigating the matter further -- refusing to comment beyond that. Camargo, a right-handed pitcher, was brought into the Cubs' farm system in 2014.
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Grindr Louisiana Man Charged With Kidnapping, Torturing Gay Men Via App
A Louisiana man has been charged over claims he used Grindr to prey on unsuspecting gay men -- one of whom he's accused of gruesomely torturing ... almost to the point of death.
The suspect's name is Chance Seneca, who was arrested last summer over the alleged incidents -- which authorities say amount to 3 total ... an attempted kidnapping and two actual kidnappings ... one of which prosecutors claim led to an 18-year-old getting choked and having his wrists sawed down to the bone in what sounds like a horror movie.
According to newly released docs that go into the gory details, obtained by The Daily Advertiser, prosecutors allege Seneca -- who's 19 himself -- confessed to using Grindr as a "hunting ground" to lure young gay men to his father's home, where he allegedly said he had planned to kill them and use their body parts as "trophies" and "food."
Prosecutors say on June 19, Seneca attempted to kidnap one man he'd met on Grindr but failed -- only to successfully kidnap another later that night. It's unclear what Seneca might've done to that guy, but the next day ... he allegedly picked up his 3rd and final victim.
That would be Holden White of Kaplan, LA -- whose name has been publicly released and whose family has been attempting to raise money, saying he's lost the use of his hands.
As for what Seneca allegedly did ... it's horrifying. Prosecutors say Seneca picked up Holden and took him to his dad's property ... where they'd be alone. Once there, prosecutors say Seneca got Holden to handcuff himself, and then pulled a gun on him.
He then allegedly brought him to the bathroom, where prosecutors say he strangled Holden from behind until he passed out ... only to place him in the bathtub and proceed to hack away at his wrists with a knife -- until he stopped when he saw bone and freaked.
Seneca came to his senses, calling the cops on himself and allegedly tried getting admitted to a mental institution. Holden came to at one point, and Seneca allegedly said, "let go… I’m setting you free." Officers finally arrived and saw the bloody mess.
Holden was taken to a hospital, and Seneca was arrested. On a state level, he's facing an attempted murder charge and a hate crime charge -- he's pled not guilty to the former. Federally, he's facing more ... another hate crime charge, kidnapping charges and others.
If convicted, Seneca is facing a lot of time in prison -- upwards of 25 years at least.
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Stanley the Giraffe Seized as Evidence at Malibu Wine ... Owners Face Charges
Stanley the Giraffe -- the crown jewel of Malibu Wine Safaris -- now sits in his pen as Exhibit A ... because authorities claim his owners are breaking the law by having him there.
ABC7 reports the CEO of MWS, Dakota Semler, and her pops, Ron, have been charged in connection to an investigation that allegedly revealed Stanley -- and perhaps other wild animals roaming around -- have been flying under the radar without the necessary paperwork to warrant their stay. The place is packed with animals you might see at a zoo.
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
They were reportedly informed by the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife that the Semlers never got the necessary licenses to house such exotic creatures -- like giraffes, zebras, etc. -- and as such, they've been accused of falsifying records to obtain permits to that effect.
As a result, Dakota -- who owns/runs the place -- has reportedly been charged with maintaining an animal facility or a wild animal without a license. Her dad -- who apparently owns Stanley himself -- has reportedly been charged with providing false info on his application for Stanley's restricted species permit with the CDFW. Both pled not guilty.
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
As for Stanley, Fish and Wildlife say he was "seized in place" -- meaning they're not taking him to any station for booking or processing ... ya know, 'cause he's like 18 feet tall. And as to the question of how the hell this didn't come to law enforcement's attention earlier -- they're claiming they relied on the word of the Semlers when they filled out their docs.
Here's the kicker ... ABC7 suggests that Malibu Wine Safaris might've been newly put under a microscope because of pissed-off would-be customers -- several of whom apparently complained about not getting refunded during the pandemic ... or not refunded fast enough.
So, because they upset their loyal base -- ABC7 says it started digging in, which might've triggered the investigation and subsequent charges. Oh, the irony ...
As you may or may not know ... Stanley is a fan fave at the sprawling attraction at Saddlerock Ranch -- tons of celebs have stopped by over the years and posed for selfies with Stan, who's always happy to nibble on someone's hair ... preferably some celery or lettuce.
Of course, he also cameo'd in 'The Hangover Part III' ... riding passenger with Alan.
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Deshaun Watson Claims He Sought Masseuses on IG After COVID Blocked His Usual Therapist
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Deshaun Watson insists the only reason he contacted massage therapists over social media is because his usual masseuse couldn't work on him due to the COVID pandemic.
Multiple sources connected to Watson tell us ... the NFL superstar is still adamant he did NOT sexually assault any of the women making claims against him.
He's obviously been following the story ... but strongly disputes the claims made by attorney Tony Buzbee, who claims to be talking with 22 women who say they were violated by Watson.
Most of the women who have filed lawsuits claim Watson first contacted them on Instagram to set up a massage -- which they found surprising considering Watson is a pro athlete who should have tons of resources at his disposal to find established therapists.
But, our sources tell us ... Watson didn't just find these women out of the blue -- insisting when his usual therapist was stopped by the COVID pandemic, he reached out to various friends, teammates and associates to get recommendations.
We're told once Watson made contact ... he put an emphasis on privacy and spelled out the areas he wanted the massage to make sure the masseuse was comfortable and to ensure things stayed professional.
Our sources tell us ... Watson insists he never crossed the line with any of the women and still strongly believes they're being led by a money-hungry attorney who's looking for a payout.
There's more ... Deshaun -- who signed a 4-year, $156 million contract extension in 2020 -- obviously has the means to pay the women off if he wanted to, but he doesn't want to give them a cent because he's adamant he didn't do anything wrong.
Of course, Buzbee said during a news conference on Friday that he has personally vetted all of the accusers he represents ... and insists he's moving forward with their cases to hold Watson accountable, not to squeeze him for money.
Bottom line ... both sides are dug in and are looking forward to their day in court.
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Joe Exotic My Life's Been Hell Since 'Tiger King' Premiere
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Joe Exotic says his life's been a living hell ever since Netflix unleashed him on the world ... and he's going scorched earth on Donald Trump, Carole Baskin, PETA, the feds and more!!!
Joe, through his attorney John M. Phillips of the Phillips & Hunt firm, tells TMZ ... "It has been a year of hell" since March 20, 2020, when Netflix premiered 'Tiger King' ... and he's not talking about the pandemic.
Exotic gripes the people for whom he opened his zoo and home -- "when their own families wouldn't help them" -- have turned their backs on him as he rots in prison. Joe doesn't name names, but says some of his ex-employees are out to "just collect money and talk s*** to get on TV" ... and he's pissed they're allegedly using his name "to profit off the hell I am living."
Joe's still claiming his innocence too ... he grouses the prosecutors and witnesses who helped put him behind bars lied under oath. Exotic's confident "the truth will come out ... come hell or high water, they will all answer to perjury at some point."
Trump and Don Jr. are also contributing to Joe's hell, and it sounds like he's still bitter over his failed attempt at a presidential pardon. Exotic says the Trumps "used me for advertisement and then left me here."
As we first told you, Joe's not giving up hope on a pardon from POTUS, and now he's lobbying the Biden Administration.
Joe tells us he has "more faith in President Biden and VP Harris to do the right thing, not just for me, but for the thousands serving long sentences for non-violent crimes such as conspiracy."
The way Joe sees it ... "I'm a political prisoner in America for an animal rights agenda" and he's lashing out at PETA for allegedly enforcing the Endangered Species Act on Jeff Lowe and his former zoo.
Bottom line for Joe ... everything traces back to "Carole Baskin getting my zoo and closing me down."
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Seattle Seahawks Backup QB Accused Of Bar Attack ... Cops Investigating
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More quarterback drama for the Seattle Seahawks ...
The guy who backs up Russell Wilson is being investigated by police for allegedly punching a man in the face at a bar on St. Patrick's Day ... TMZ Sports has learned.
25-year-old Alex McGough -- a 7th round pick in 2018 out of FIU -- was allegedly at the Green Parrot Pub in Tampa, FL when an altercation broke out ... and things got violent.
TMZ Sports spoke with the alleged victim, 24-year-old Anthony Albino -- who tells us he was reconnecting with an old friend at the bar when McGough approached him and accused him of shooting his shot at his girlfriend.
Anthony says the NFL player got heated -- and all of the sudden, McGough socked him in the face out of nowhere.
In video taken after the alleged incident -- and obtained by TMZ Sports -- you can see Anthony with red marks on his face ... surrounded by bloody paper towels he used to clean himself up.
Anthony says he suffered minor injuries from the incident ... including a bloody nose and a gash to his elbow.
We're told Anthony went to cops the following day and filled out a report with the intention of pressing charges.
So far, McGough has neither been arrested nor charged with a crime -- but our law enforcement sources confirm the incident is under investigation and officers are hoping to speak with McGough soon
We've reached out to McGough's camp for comment ... so far, no word back.
The Seahawks signed McGough to its practice squad back in December 2020 -- and he's currently listed as the #2 quarterback on the team depth chart.
The Seahawks appear to have an issue when it comes to their backup QBs -- remember Trevone Boykin was cut by Seattle in 2018 after he was arrested for domestic violence.
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Willow Smith Obsessed Guy Traveled Far to Hop My Fence!!!
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Willow Smith says she's being stalked by a man who trekked from Oklahoma to L.A. to try to get into her home ... according to new legal docs she filed to get a restraining order against him.
In the docs, Will and Jada Pinkett's daughter claims 38-year-old Walter James Whaley climbed a fence to get onto her property around Christmas and appeared to be looking for a way to enter her house.
According to Willow ... her security called police and they showed up right away but Whaley wasn't apprehended at the time. However, she says cops found a Greyhound bus ticket indicating he'd traveled there from Oklahoma just a day before.
Willow included photos of the alleged incident that appear to show Whaley on her property, and she says this is frightening because it shows he "will do whatever possible to make physical contact with me."
According to the docs ... even before this all happened, Whaley had been hitting Willow up with social media posts saying he wanted to marry her and have kids with her.
She also says a private investigator she hired did some digging and determined Whaley is a convicted sex offender.
The judge granted Willow's temporary restraining order earlier this month. Whaley must stay 100 yards away from her at all times and stop communicating with her.
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Deshaun Watson Now Has 12 Accusers and Possibly 10 More ... Attorney Says
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TONY BUZBEE
There are now TWELVE women making sexual misconduct allegations against Deshaun Watson -- with 10 more accusers being vetted, according to attorney Tony Buzbee.
Buzbee represents the 7 women who have already filed lawsuits against Watson -- and at a news conference on Friday, he announced 5 more lawsuits are in the works.
"We are now representing 12 women and we will file 5 more cases in due course. We have spoken to more than 10 additional women, 22 women," Buzbee said.
To clarify, Buzbee said the additional 10 women all have similar stories to the first 12 ... but he's still gathering information before filing lawsuits on their behalf.
Of the 12 accusers, Buzbee says the women did NOT know each other before coming forward with their allegations.
The women come from different racial backgrounds -- 7 of them are Black, 2 Hispanic and 3 are Caucasian.
Additionally, Buzbee says he's been contacted by the Houston Police Dept. -- which is now looking into the allegations.
Buzbee says none of the accusers had gone to police before contacting his firm -- but says the "next step" is to submit a "package" of information to police, presumably to help launch a criminal probe.
During his news conference, Buzbee also shot down conspiracy theories that the Houston Texans were driving the lawsuits as a result of a standoff between Watson and Texans ownership. Buzbee says he lives near the family that owns the Texans but does not know them personally.
There's more ... Buzbee also notes that one of the accusers claims Watson assaulted her AFTER Buzbee had already been in contact with Watson's agent to inform him about a claim from another woman.
Buzbee says he's been personally sitting down with each accuser to vet their stories -- explaining he "wanted to make damn sure" the women were truthful.
Buzbee says the first accuser's story "certainly passes the smell test" and praised her as a brave and truthful person.
Earlier in the day, Deshaun's agent, David Mulugheta, broke his silence about the allegations against Watson -- doubling down on the notion the women are making up the accusations for "financial gain."
"Sexual assault is real. Victims should be heard, offenders prosecuted," Mulugheta said in a statement Friday morning.
"Individuals fabricate stories in pursuit of financial gain often. Their victims should be heard, and those offenders also prosecuted."
"I simply hope we keep this same energy with the truth."
In other words, Mulugheta strongly believes the accusers are lying and he's extremely confident Watson will be vindicated in the end.
TMZ Sports has obtained all 7 of the lawsuits filed against Watson -- and they're all very similar.
Each of the women claims Watson reached out seeking a massage -- most of the women claim he first contacted them on Instagram.
But, when they met for the massage therapy sessions, the women claim Watson became aggressive in pursuit of a sex act.
One of the women claims Watson forced her to perform oral sex on him, against her will.
All of the accusers say they never consented and felt violated. They're all suing for civil assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Buzbee claims he has text messages and DMs from the QB which back his client's allegations ... including an apparent apology from Deshaun after a massage session gone bad.
The first woman who filed her lawsuit against the Houston Texans QB claims Watson became aggressive during a treatment in March 2020 ... which ended after he allegedly repeatedly tried to direct the woman to massage his genitals.
In her suit, the woman claims a fully-erect Watson exposed his penis and "purposely touched [Jane Doe's] hand with the tip."
The woman claims she ended the massage immediately and began to cry. Afterward, she claims Watson sent her a text message apologizing for his behavior.
On Friday, Buzbee went public with the alleged apology text from Deshaun.
"Sorry about you feeling uncomfortable. Never were the intentions. LMK if you want to work in the future. My apologies."
For his part, Watson adamantly denies the allegations -- and claims he's the victim of a shakedown by an attorney looking to score a cash grab from his lying clients.
Originally Published -- 5:58 AM PT
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Lisa Ling on ATL Shootings Lowering Flags Huge Step Forward ... But It's Still a Long Road
Lisa Ling says the White House flying the American flag at half staff to honor the Atlanta shooting victims is a powerful gesture for Asian-Americans ... but it's just one step of many that need to be made.
The CNN host was at LAX when a photog asked her about President Biden's decision to lower flags in the wake of the shootings that killed 8 people, including 6 Asian women ... and she got choked up talking about the symbolism.
Lisa says it's monumental when the President acknowledges the lives of some of the "most marginalized women" in society ... and she explains why it sends a strong message to everyone.
But, Lisa knows the fight against racism is far from over -- she says for every heartwarming image of the lowered flags, there are more horror stories on social media. She points to the example of the woman in San Francisco, who actually fought back against her attacker.
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The story has left Lisa visibly shaken -- seriously, watch the clip -- but she told us why she won't stop speaking out about the spike of violence against the Asian-American community.
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Deshaun Watson NFL Launches Investigation ... Looking to Interview Accusers
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Deshaun Watson is now being investigated by the NFL -- the league has reached out to the lawyer representing the 9 women who are making sexual misconduct claims against the QB.
Attorney Tony Buzbee posted the letter he received from NFL investigator Lisa Friel -- who previously had a lead role in the NFL's investigation of Ezekiel Elliott. A league source confirms to TMZ Sports the letter is authentic.
In her letter, Friel states the league is aware of the 3 lawsuits Buzbee has filed on behalf of the female massage therapists who claim they were sexually assaulted by Watson and she's hoping to conduct interviews with them as soon as possible.
The league has invited Buzbee to be included in the interviews, if the women agree to participate.
Unclear if the women will cooperate -- especially while their lawsuits are still pending.
As we previously reported, Buzbee claims he's representing 9 women who are all making similar allegations against Watson -- that what was supposed to be an innocent and professional massage session turned into an aggressive push for sex acts.
Watson has issued a statement denying the allegations and insisting Buzbee is only looking to score an unwarranted payday for his clients based on lies.
Watson has not been charged with a crime or even named a person of interest in a criminal investigation.
However, the NFL has made it clear they don't need a criminal conviction in order to take disciplinary action against a player ... and that's exactly what happened in the Ezekiel Elliot case.
Zeke was hit with a 6 game suspension in 2017 following a probe into domestic violence allegations ... despite the fact he was never charged with a crime.
The NFL said at the time it found enough evidence to show Zeke violated the league's personal conduct policy, which the league claims justified the punishment.
The Houston Texans have released a statement on the Watson allegations Thursday afternoon ... saying the team will fully cooperate with the league's investigation.
"The NFL informed us today that they will conduct an investigation into the allegations made in the civil lawsuits filed against Deshaun Watson," the team said. "We will stay in close contact with the league as they do."
"We continue to take this and all matters involving anyone within the Houston Texans organization seriously."
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Armie Hammer Rape Accuser Comes Forward ... He Denies it, but Police Investigating
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Armie Hammer is now accused of rape ... by a woman who says she's reported the alleged crime to police, and law enforcement sources tell us he is under investigation for an alleged sexual assault.
The actor's accuser, Effie, claims Armie raped her for over 4 hours, during which he allegedly slapped her head against a wall and physically abused her with other acts of violence. She says the incident happened April 24, 2017 in Los Angeles.
Effie made her allegations Thursday during a news conference with her attorney, Gloria Allred. Effie claims she met Armie on Facebook in 2016, when she was 20, and they began a relationship which became violent and abusive.
Allred says Effie has provided law enforcement with evidence of the alleged rape, and prosecutors will have to decide if there's enough evidence to press charges against Hammer. Allred says she is not planning to file a lawsuit against Hammer.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... someone spoke with police about the alleged incident on Feb. 3 and cops started a sexual assault investigation, which is ongoing.
Hammer's attorney, Andrew Brettler, tells TMZ they believe Effie "undermines and refutes her outrageous allegations" because she sent Armie extremely sexual texts as recently as July 18, 2020. In the alleged text, Effie said, "Helplessly horny and I just need to tell you cuz it's been sooo long since last time." There's much more that's, frankly, too graphic for us to describe here ... but the point is she told Armie, in stark detail, what she wanted him to do to her.
He responded, "I am not going to be able to engage in you in that specific way right now. It never ends well. We can talk and be friends but I can't do that."
Brettler claims Effie sent hundreds of texts to Armie, and adds ... "It was never Mr. Hammer’s intention to embarrass or expose [Effie]'s fetishes or kinky sexual desires, but she has now escalated this matter to another level by hiring a civil lawyer to host a public press conference. With the truth on his side, Mr. Hammer welcomes the opportunity to set the record straight."
As you know ... Hammer's been embroiled in controversy since January after some shocking, but unverified, DMs he allegedly sent to women started surfacing on the Internet.
TMZ broke the story ... Hammer exited a J Lo movie shoot as a result of the scandal, but he told us, "I'm not responding to these b******* claims."
And then there's Hammer's ex-girlfriend, Paige Lorenze, who last month accused him of licking blood from a brand he allegedly forced upon her.
Brettler says Armie maintains his interactions with Effie, and all other sexual partners, were "completely consensual, discussed and agreed upon in advance, and mutually participatory." His team claims her news conference "will only make it more difficult for real victims of sexual violence to get the justice they deserve.”
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Deshaun Watson Sexual Assault Accuser List Grows Lawyer Claims 9 Women Coming Forward
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12:39 PM PT -- The attorney representing the 3 women who have filed sexual misconduct lawsuits against Deshaun Watson now says the total number of accusers has ballooned to NINE.
"The Buzbee Law Firm has now been hired by nine women to bring cases against Deshaun Watson," attorney Tony Buzbee says ... noting, "The allegations are similar."
"We have filed three [lawsuits], and, as we complete our due diligence, will file the remaining ones in due course."
Buzbee says the firm is talking with "several others" and praises his clients as "brave women who are wiling to come forward and be heard."
The allegations against NFL superstar Deshaun Watson are piling up ... a third female masseuse has filed a lawsuit against the QB, claiming he forced her to perform oral sex during a Dec. 2020 encounter.
The woman, who filed her suit under the pseudonym Jane Doe to protect her identity, claims Watson reached out on Instagram to set up a session.
The woman says the two agreed to an appointment at a Houston, Texas office building on Dec. 28, 2020 at 10 a.m.
Jane Doe -- who claims she was newly engaged and had just graduated chiropractic school -- says her mother dropped her off at the job, and then she met Watson ... and that's when she claims things immediately got weird.
The woman says Watson insisted she focus on massaging his "inner thighs" and "inner glutes" -- while repeatedly telling her he's a professional football player.
She claims Watson "got more aggressive" -- and eventually "coerced [Jane Doe] to move her mouth toward his penis, forcing [Jane Doe] to perform oral sex on him."
The woman claims she never consented to the sex act ... and actually "blacked out for a few minutes from the fear."
In her suit, the woman claims she was so terrified, she defecated on herself.
The woman says Watson got up, got dressed and left as if nothing happened.
The woman is suing for sexual assault, civil assault and intentional inflection of emotional distress.
It's the third lawsuit filed against Watson by attorney Tony Buzbee ... who claims there are at least 3 other women who will be taking legal action against the Houston Texans player.
— Deshaun Watson (@deshaunwatson) March 17, 2021 @deshaunwatson
Watson has not been arrest nor charged with a crime ... and has adamantly denied all wrongdoing, insisting Buzbee is just trying to score an unwarranted payday for the women.
The other two lawsuits that have been previously filed against Watson contain similar allegations -- with two massage therapists alleging sexual misconduct against the QB during massage sessions that were initiated over social media.