Shannon Sharpe has recently found himself at the center of multiple legal battles, with one coming to a quiet end and another just beginning.
Last month, the NFL Hall of Famer and popular media personality reportedly reached a settlement with the anonymous woman who had accused him of sexual assault earlier this year. The woman, an OnlyFans model, filed the lawsuit anonymously, alleging that Sharpe coerced her into non-consensual sex—an accusation he adamantly denied from the start.
“Mr. Sharpe categorically denies all allegations of coercion or misconduct—especially the gross lie of ‘rape’—and will not submit to what he sees as an egregious attempt at blackmail,” said Sharpe’s attorney Lanny Davis in a statement following the initial filing. “He stands firmly by the truth and is prepared to fight these false claims vigorously in court. He looks forward to vindication through due process and a judgment based on the facts and the law.”
Though Sharpe has not publicly addressed the settlement, multiple outlets have alleged the settlement may have involved a $23 million payout—though this figure remains unconfirmed. On a recent episode of Nightcap, Sharpe jokingly told co-host Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson that he felt “light in the pockets” and even pressed Johnson for $5,900 that he claimed was owed to him. The moment, captured by Hollywood Unlocked, was taken as a possible slick, low-key reference to the settlement.
See the post HERE
But the legal issues didn’t stop there. Earlier this month, Sharpe and Johnson were named in a separate lawsuit by Jimalita Tillman, an Usher fan who claims the two defamed her by publicly implying that her marriage ended because of a flirtatious exchange with the singer during a live show.
“The defendants made and disseminated false and defamatory statements suggesting that I was married and that my husband was filing for divorce due to my participation… I am not married, nor am I currently going through a divorce,” Tillman alleges in the suit. “Their continued dissemination of these false statements after I publicly clarified my marital status demonstrates a reckless disregard for the truth.”
Tillman is now seeking $20 million in damages for alleged emotional distress caused by the public speculation. As of now, neither Sharpe nor Ochocinco has responded publicly to this latest lawsuit.