Attorneys for Matt Araiza filed a civil defamation lawsuit Friday against the young woman that accused him and other teammates of sexually assaulting her in 2021. That woman, who was 17 at the time, alleges that she was pulled into a bedroom at an off-campus Halloween party, where she was victimized.
In the lawsuit, Araiza's attorneys say the girl solicited him for sex outside the party. The suit says the sexual acts that ensued were entirely consensual. It goes on to claim that the young woman then went inside the home and engaged in more consensual sexual acts with other players. It further claims that she became embarrassed about her own actions and lied to police about what happened.
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After a lengthy investigation, the San Diego District Attorney's Office announced in December that it would not be filing criminal charges against anyone, stating, "Prosecutors determined it is clear the evidence does not support the filing of criminal charges and there is no path to a potential criminal conviction."
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The lawsuit cites multiple communications with the District Attorney's Office, media outlets, and pieces of case evidence to allege that the accuser's statements caused damage to Araiza's reputation and profession and caused him to suffer emotionally. It seeks unspecific general, compensatory and punitive damages.
Araiza was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in 2022 but released by the team after the allegations came to light.
Despite the lack of a prosecution, the young woman maintains the sexual assault took place. She filed her own civil lawsuit against Araiza and four other former SDSU players in August.
