Shannon Sharpe Accused Of Rape In $50M Lawsuit

Shannon Sharpe is now battling more than just his sports hot takes, as he’s the focus of a new $50 million lawsuit.

According to Variety, Sharpe has been accused in Nevada state court of assault, sexual assault, battery, and sexual battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

The woman, only identified as Jane Doe — who was 30 years younger than him— says the relationship lasted about two years and was “rocky” yet “consensual.” 

The complaint alleges that Sharpe recorded the two having sex and later showed it to other people without getting her permission first. 

Last September, Sharpe went viral for accidentally going live on Instagram while his followers could hear him having sex in the background. That woman wasn’t Doe, but when that scandal happened, Doe tried to cut ties with him. Still, he reportedly continued to hound her even after she stopped answering his calls. 

He persisted, and in October 2024, he met with her in person and allegedly forced her to have sex with him as he “violently sexually assaulted and anally raped Plaintiff two different times in Las Vegas, Nevada.” Then, in January 2025, another incident occurred when he pressured her for unprotected sex while she pleaded with him to stop or wear a condom. 

“After many months of manipulating and controlling Plaintiff—a woman more than thirty years younger than he—and repeatedly threatening to brutally choke and violently slap her, Sharpe refused to accept the answer no and raped Plaintiff, despite her sobbing and repeated screams of ‘no,’” reads the complaint, according to NBC Sports. 

Jane Doe is represented by Micah Nash and Tony Buzbee, who’s behind dozens of Diddy accusers’ cases and more NFL-specific in representing the woman allegedly abused by NFL quarterback Deshaun Watson. 

If the case goes to trial and Doe wins, she will receive the $50 million, but Sharpe will not face criminal charges.

The news comes on the heels of a pending major business deal for Sharpe, who reportedly has a $100 million deal on the table now that his contract with Colin Cowherd’s The Volume podcast network is expiring.