Ex-NFL star's incestual sexual abuse allegations: 'Attacked’ for Trump fandom link, say Jets player
ByAshima Grover
Mar 12, 2025 08:44 AM IST
Le'Veon Bell threw his support behind Donald Trump's 2025 presidential bid. He now suggests that he's being targeted for that reason.
Last year, a woman named Jada Bell claiming to be the cousin of former NFL running back Le’Veon Bell accused him of having nonconsensual incestual relations with her from a young age. According to the civil lawsuit she filed in Franklin County, Ohio, Bell’s allegedly started subjecting her to sexual abuse when she was just six years old, continuing “ through at least 2017.” Jada alleged that his misconduct only came to an end once she turned 18.
Ex-NFL star Le'Veon Bell has denied sexual abuse allegations. (Instagram @leveonbell)
Ex-NFL star Le'Veon Bell has denied sexual abuse allegations. (Instagram @leveonbell)
Former NFL star denies sexual abuse allegations
Le’Veon Bell has now denied claims of the years-long assault and sexual abuse. His vehement denial comes after an Ohio jury awarded her a $25 million verdict ($20m in compensatory damages + $5m in punitive damages), per The New York Post. The Jets star’s brother, La’Vonte, was also found to owe the woman more than $11 million in damages at the Feb 26 hearing.
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As per the documents obtained by The Post, the lawsuit alleges that the former NFL athlete, who is eight years older than the alleged victim would engage in sexual encounters “throughout the plaintiff’s minority, including during his frequent returns to Central Ohio during his college years and beyond, and that Le’Veon Bell had used “slang terms” to direct the woman on which acts he wanted her to perform, citing one such instance where he “termed oral sex ‘fire.’”
Le’Veon Bell has long been a Donald Trump supporter
Bell played for the Pittsburgh Steelers before joining the New York Jets in free agency in 2019. He also played for the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers before nine-year NFL career came to an end. Bell has remained an avid Donald Trump supporter for a while now. He even made an appearance at a campaign event in October. Throwing support behind the MAGA leader, he proclaimed, “"Let's vote for Trump! Let's make some noise for the president!"
Ex-Jets star says he's being ‘attacked’ due to Trump fandom link
Once his alleged victim was awarded the $25 million verdict, he took to his social media, insinuating that he was being targeted for being a Trump supporter. “Being a black man and a trump supporter at the same time, so many ppl wanna attack me .. lol like why tho??? I just don’t get it .. it don’t matter tho, we STILL GOIN UP,” he wrote online.
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Bell’s attorney Thomas W Shaffer has since issued a statement via TMZ: “My client adamantly denies any and all allegations that have been lodged against him. Further, he was never served with a civil complaint or any documents.”
He added, “The default judgment granted was based upon violations of his Fifth Amendment rights of due process for failing to be served. My client is in the process of filing a motion to open and reverse the default judgment because the narratives of the case have never been litigated.”
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