Shannon Sharpe Hit With $50 Million Civil Lawsuit Over Alleged Sexual Assault

Pro Football Hall of Famer and media personality Shannon Sharpe is facing a serious legal battle as a woman identified as “Jane Doe” has filed a civil lawsuit accusing him of sexual assault, battery, and emotional abuse during what she describes as a “rocky, consensual relationship.”

Filed on Sunday, April 20, in a Nevada state court, the 13-page complaint alleges a pattern of coercive behavior and abuse over a two-year period. NBC Sports reports that the lawsuit seeks a minimum of $50 million in damages from Sharpe, a former NFL star and co-host of the popular Club Shay Shay podcast.

According to the complaint, the woman, who is more than 30 years younger than Sharpe, met him in 2023 at a gym in Los Angeles. She claims their relationship began with flirtation but evolved into a controlling and verbally abusive dynamic.

Despite the abuse, the plaintiff says she initially agreed to a consensual relationship but later attempted to distance herself after allegedly enduring emotional manipulation and threats.

“He demanded complete control over her time and body,” wrote her attorney, Tony Buzbee. The lawsuit further alleges that Sharpe insisted she come to his Beverly Glen home on command and attempted to isolate her from others.

One particularly disturbing incident cited in the lawsuit occurred in October 2024. The plaintiff claims that during a confrontation, Sharpe “forced himself on her while she was crying and sobbing.” In another instance, in January 2025, she says he allegedly assaulted her again after showing up at her residence under the pretense of delivering a birthday gift.

The complaint also accuses Sharpe of recording their sexual encounters without her consent and distributing the videos to third parties.

In one alarming passage, the lawsuit recounts an incident in which the woman attempted to share her location with friends out of fear for her safety — only for Sharpe to allegedly notice and threaten her life. “‘If you ever do that again, I will f***ing kill you,’” he reportedly told her.

The legal filing references Sharpe’s public mishap in September 2024, when he accidentally livestreamed a sexual encounter on Instagram. The woman in the video, the lawsuit clarifies, was not the plaintiff. The incident, however, is said to have been a turning point in the relationship and triggered the plaintiff’s efforts to cut ties.

“A woman can say ‘yes’ to consensual sexual relations with a man ninety-nine times,” the complaint states. “But when she says ‘no’ even once, that ‘no’ means no. Defendant Shannon Sharpe… refused to accept this basic concept.”

As of now, Sharpe has not publicly responded to the lawsuit. Legal proceedings are expected to unfold in the coming weeks.

This is a developing story.