*Shannon Sharpe is facing a $50 million civil lawsuit from a woman identified as Jane Doe, who alleges multiple instances of sexual assault during what she describes as a “rocky consensual relationship” that began in 2023 when she was 19 years old.
Filed in Nevada state court, the suit, brought by attorney Tony Buzbee, known for representing numerous accusers in the Sean “Diddy” Combs case, claims Sharpe secretly recorded sexual encounters without consent and shared them. The most serious allegations stem from two alleged assaults in October 2024 in Las Vegas, where Doe says Sharpe “violently sexually assaulted and anally raped Plaintiff two different times… blatantly ignoring her requests for him to stop.” A similar incident allegedly occurred in January 2025, after which she says she fled the state. Doe is seeking both compensatory and punitive damages totaling $50 million.
Sharpe, through his attorney Lanny J. Davis, has vehemently denied the allegations. In a statement released Monday, Davis called the lawsuit “a blatant and cynical attempt to shake down Mr. Sharpe for millions of dollars.” He added that the complaint is “filled with lies, distortions, and misrepresentations.”
“This lawsuit, filed by Gabriella Zuniga and orchestrated by her attorney Tony Buzbee, is a blatant and cynical attempt to shake down Mr. Sharpe for millions of dollars,” Davis said. “It is filled with lies, distortions, and misrepresentations — and it will not succeed.”
Sharpe’s legal team alleges that Zuniga attempted to extort him using an edited recording of a consensual sexual encounter, which she has refused to release in full. They also released explicit text messages they claim were sent by Zuniga, allegedly showing she initiated and engaged in graphic sexual exchanges. Here are some of the messages:
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- “I want you to put a dog collar around my neck and choke me with it while you’re f**king me.” – Gabriella Zuniga in a text message to Shannon Sharpe, October 7, 2023
- “I know u miss this big juicy ass…$25k for each cheek.”– Gabriella Zuniga in a text message to Shannon Sharpe, January 1, 2025
- “Only if you put that baby gravy in me, then I can do whatever I want to me.”— Text from Gabriella Zuniga to Shannon Sharpe, November 23, 2023
- “I wanna put my tongue in your a**hole and then marry u.”— Text from Gabriella Zuniga to Shannon Sharpe, January 12, 2024
- “That’s my daddy f**k I want u to put a big black baby in me.” — Text from Gabriella Zuniga to Shannon Sharpe, August 6, 2024
- “You better crave it cuz ur gonna be stuck with it 4 life after you put a big black baby in me.” — Text from Gabriella Zuniga to Shannon Sharpe, August 11, 2024
“These messages are just a sampling of a broader pattern of graphic, sexual communications initiated by Ms. Zuniga,” the attorney’s statement reads. “The evidence paints a clear picture: this was a consensual, adult relationship that included role-playing, sexual language, and fantasy scenarios explicitly requested by Ms. Zuniga.”
According to Davis, the woman requested money in January 2025, sending a text asking for “$25,000 per cheek” — a message they suggest undermines the credibility of her claims.
Sharpe has vowed to fight the allegations in court. In a video statement released on X, he addressed the lawsuit, saying it is “being orchestrated by Tony Buzbee… Tony Buzbee targets Black men.” Watch his full remarks in the clip below.
— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) April 22, 2025
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