16 Lawsuits Now Accuse Deshaun Watson of Sexual Assault, with Suit Alleging He's 'Serial Predator'

Sixteen lawsuits have been filed against NFL player Deshaun Watson alleging sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massages.

The lawsuits allege that the 25-year-old Houston Texans quarterback assaulted and harassed numerous women by "exposing himself" or "touching [them] with his penis" during massages that occurred in 2020."

"Watson's behavior is part of a disturbing pattern of preying on vulnerable women," one of the lawsuits alleges.

Another lawsuit called Watson a "serial predator," CNN reports.

Many of the lawsuits allege Watson reached out to the women over Instagram and then met them in hotel rooms, homes and massage offices.

In one of the lawsuits, a woman who worked as a licensed therapist at her home alleged that during the massage Watson "repeatedly stated that he wanted her to focus on his groin area."

The woman alleged that she began to feel uncomfortable and "it became apparent that Watson wanted a message for only one reason — sex," the lawsuit alleges.

The woman said she stopped the massage after Watson allegedly exposed his penis to her.

When she asked him to leave, Watson allegedly told her, "I know you have a career and a reputation, and I know you would hate for someone to mess with yours, just like I don't want anyone messing with mine," the suit alleges.

In a statement obtained by PEOPLE, Watson's attorney Rusty Hardin wrote that any allegation that Watson "forced a woman to commit a sexual act is completely false."

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Hardin accused the women's attorney Tony Buzbee of orchestrating "a circus-like atmosphere by using social media" to publicize the lawsuits "in a manner calculated to inflame the public and malign Deshaun's otherwise sterling reputation."

Hardin in the statement said that in January a woman allegedly attempted to blackmail the athlete for $30,000 "in exchange for her 'indefinite silence' about what she stated was a consensual encounter… This calls into question the legitimacy of the other cases as well. "

On March 20, Buzbee said on a Facebook post that he would be providing evidence of the incidents to the Houston Police Department and the Houston District Attorney.

CNN reports Houston police spokesperson Jodi Silva said on Monday she wasn't aware of the department speaking with Buzbee or Watson.

Last week, in a statement obtained by PEOPLE, the Houston Texans said they were informed that the NFL planned to conduct an investigation into the allegations made in the civil lawsuits.

"We will stay in close contact with the league as they do," the statement reads. "We continue to take this and all matters involving anyone within the Houston Texans organization seriously."