MCKINNEY, Texas – Dak Prescott, the Dallas Cowboys quarterback, has filed a lawsuit in Collin County, Texas, accusing a woman of attempting to extort $100 million from him. The lawsuit also names the woman’s attorneys, Bethel Zehaie and Yoel Zehaie, as defendants.
According to Prescott’s attorney, Levi McCathern, the woman and her legal team threatened to publicly share a fabricated story of sexual assault from nearly a decade ago unless they received the money. Prescott has instead reported their alleged actions to the authorities and has pledged his full cooperation with their investigation.
Bethel Zehaie, one of the named attorneys, responded to the lawsuit by stating that Prescott and his lawyers are trying to bully and victim blame. She also maintained that they are not afraid of the truth.
The lawsuit includes several causes of action, including defamation and slander, civil extortion/duress, business disparagement, tortious interference, civil conspiracy, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
McCathern emphasized that Prescott, who recently became a father, empathizes with survivors of sexual assault and believes that perpetrators should face severe legal consequences. He categorically denied engaging in any nonconsensual sexual conduct and expressed his determination not to allow the defendants to profit from their extortion attempt.
In a statement, Bethel Zehaie called Prescott a liar and a rapist, further escalating the legal dispute.
The alleged encounter between Prescott and the woman took place in February 2017, shortly after his successful rookie season as the Cowboys’ quarterback. The lawsuit references a letter sent by the woman’s attorneys to Prescott in January 2024, describing the incident. It alleges that Prescott exposed himself to the woman and used physical force to commit sexual assault.
Prescott’s legal team argued that the woman’s actions and the lack of any prior negative reports about the incident undermine the credibility of her claims. The attorneys assert that all civil causes of action have expired and that the demand for $100 million was solely made to avoid criminal charges and prevent the alleged assault from becoming public.
Amidst the legal battle, both sides are vehemently standing by their respective versions of events. The lawsuit seeks over $1 million in monetary relief, including damages and potential penalties.
Prescott’s lawyer stated that any funds acquired through the legal action would be donated to a charitable foundation created by Mariska Hargitay, star of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” which focuses on addressing issues related to sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse.