Shannon Sharpe Calls Rape Lawsuit from 19-Year-Old Ex ‘A Shakedown’
Shannon Sharpe is in the middle of a serious legal battle after a woman he was once involved with filed a $50 million civil lawsuit against him, accusing him of rape, harassment, and abuse. But Sharpe, 56, is pushing back hard, claiming the entire case is built on lies.
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The woman, who’s listed in court documents as Jane Doe, says she met Sharpe at a gym in 2023 when she was just 19. They began what she described as a rocky, on-and-off relationship. Though she admits it was consensual at first, she claims some things happened that she never agreed to—including being forced into sexual encounters and having private moments recorded and shown to others without her consent.
Things reportedly took a turn after a separate incident in September 2024, when Sharpe accidentally went live on Instagram and was seen in bed with a different woman. After that, Jane Doe says she started pulling away—but Sharpe didn’t back off. According to her claims, the alleged abuse began shortly after.
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In a statement released Monday, Sharpe’s attorney Lanny J. Davis called the lawsuit nothing more than a money grab. “This is a blatant and cynical attempt to shake down Mr. Sharpe for millions of dollars,” Davis wrote, accusing the woman and her lawyer, Tony Buzbee, of distorting the truth. He insists that the relationship was between two consenting adults and that any sexual activity, including fantasies involving choking and role-playing, was requested by the woman herself.
To support their defense, Sharpe’s legal team included text messages that appear to show the woman asking to be choked and saying she “craved” certain behaviors. They claim she even demanded money, allegedly texting that she wanted “$25,000 per cheek.”
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But the situation got even messier Tuesday when the New York Post obtained audio of a phone call allegedly between Sharpe and the woman. In it, a man who sounds like Sharpe threatens to “choke the s–t out of” her and later says, “I don’t think you have a choice in the matter.” The woman can be heard pushing back, telling him not to manipulate her. Sharpe’s team hasn’t confirmed or denied whether the voice is his.
Still, his legal team claims the woman is twisting their past into something it wasn’t. They say she edited a video of one of their encounters and tried to use it against him—possibly as part of a blackmail plot. Sharpe says he never agreed to be filmed and wants the full version of the video for his defense, but so far, she hasn’t handed it over.
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Sharpe maintains that they were still having consensual sex up until January 2, 2025—the day after she allegedly asked for money. His lawyer says Sharpe is ready to fight in court and confident the truth will come out.
“He looks forward to vindication through due process,” Davis said, “and a judgment based on the facts and the law.”
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