Two women are suing 73-year-old former professional boxer George Foreman, alleging he sexually abused them when they were minors.
Two separate lawsuits were filed in Los Angeles court Wednesday, according to TMZ. The two plaintiffs, named as Denise S. and Gwen H., both say they met Foremen through their fathers. Foreman was allegedly in his 20s at the time of the reported abuse, according to TMZ. Court documents indicate both women confronted Foreman about the allegations “on at least one occasion” and claim he “did not deny the allegations,” per TMZ They are suing for unspecified damages.
Two women filed lawsuits in California alleging that George Foreman sexually abused them when they were teenagers in the 1970s. Foreman denied the accusations. https://t.co/p8NvE0Dl3x
— The New York Times (@nytimes) August 25, 2022
Denise S. claims Foreman began “grooming her at an early age by taking her out for ice cream and allowing her to sit on his lap as [he] drove his car,” according to TMZ. She says she was just 8 years old when she first met the former heavyweight champion. She alleges Foreman became sexually inappropriate toward her when she was 13, which means he was roughly 24 years old at the time. She also claims Foreman engaged in sexual intercourse with her when she was 15, per TMZ.
Gwen H. said she had known Foreman for six years before he made advances toward her. When he was 23 years old, she says he molested and sexually abused her from the ages of 15 – 16, per TMZ.
Foreman spoke out prior to the lawsuit being filed in court, and vehemently denied all the allegations against him. “Two women have been trying to extort millions of dollars each from me and my family. They are falsely claiming that I sexually abused them over 45 years ago in the 1970s,” Foreman said, according to TMZ. (RELATED: Chef Mario Batali Settles Sexual Assault Lawsuits With 2 Women)
Boxing legend George Foreman says two women have made up claims that he sexually abused them … all in an effort to extort him out of millions of dollars. https://t.co/PXrttLBgkV
— TMZ (@TMZ) July 13, 2022
“I adamantly and categorically deny these allegations. The pride I take in my reputation means as much to me as my sports accomplishments, and I will not be intimidated by baseless threats and lies.”
He finished his statement declaring his faith in God and his trust in his legal team, and made it clear that he would defend himself to expose what he believes to be an extortion attempt, according to TMZ.