Just a week ago, Shannon Sharpe made headlines concerning his pursuit of a nine-figure podcast deal. Unfortunately for him, this week, he’s facing an eight-figure lawsuit. The American Pro Football Hall of Famer has just been sued for raping a woman on multiple occasions.
The details of Shannon Sharpe’s rape allegations are in a civil lawsuit that was filed on Sunday, April 20, and the plaintiff is asking for tens of millions in damages. The civil complaint is a 13-page document that was filed in a Nevada state court alleging sexual assault and battery.
In the lawsuit, the woman (plaintiff) claimed that Sharpe brutally and sexually assaulted her multiple times at the end of 2024 and in the beginning of 2025. She alleged that the incidents happened after a consensual relationship with Sharpe that lasted for about two years until he became manipulative and oppressive.
Shannon Sharpe is known to be a big shot who played 14 seasons in the NFL, won three Super Bowls, and was an eight-time Pro Bowler. He’s a big influence when it comes to sports, and this got him inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011. After his retirement, he started a successful media career with Fox Sports and ESPN and has hosted many podcasts.
Shannon Sharpe is known to be one of the most successful podcasters in the world today. Although he was eyeing a $100M+ podcast deal a week ago, it appears that things might get sour for him after the revelation of this rape allegations lawsuit.
Who Accused Shannon Sharpe of Rape?
Shannon Sharpe’s rape allegations were brought on by one of his former partners and ex-girlfriends. The lawsuit was filed under the “Jane Doe” pseudonym. But according to a statement released by Shannon Sharpe’s attorney, Lanny J. Davis, her name is Gabriella Zuniga.
In the suit, Gabriella Zuniga detailed how she met the accused, Shannon Sharpe. She shared that they met in 2023 at a prestigious Los Angeles sports club when she was 20 years old. And during their first encounter, Sharpe offered to buy her “breast implants” if she beat him in a weight-loss challenge.
Zuniga further describes a coercive relationship where the 56-year-old proceeded to pursue her relentlessly, calling, texting, and “demanding that she come to his Beverly Glen mansion.” Though it was consensual at first, but she claims it later became controlling and verbally abusive, with Sharpe always demanding control over her time and body.
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Details of Shannon Sharpe’s Rape Allegation
In further details, Zuniga revealed that Sharpe would record their sexual activities, sometimes without her consent. And that the former Denver Broncos tight end would share the videos with other people without her knowledge. She contended that the infamous Instagram live-streaming audio of Sharpe having sex was with another woman and not with her.
And that the livestream incident is what led her to begin to pull away from him. She claims that he constantly pursued her after she stopped answering his calls, only to confront her at her apartment in October 2024, after she had made efforts to separate from him. She detailed in the suit document how their encounter led to him raping her, having forcible sex against her consent.
Another incident happened in January 2025. Zuniga alleged that Sharpe engaged in unprotected sex with her, and despite her efforts to get him to either stop or to wear a condom, he repeatedly threatened to brutally choke and violently slap her. Sharpe allegedly proceeded to rape her despite her sobbing and repeated screams of “No.”
Although Sharpe came out on Monday through his lawyer to deny the accusations leveled against him, he further posted a video on his social on Tuesday addressing the rape allegations. He labeled it a shakedown and said that he was being deliberately targeted because of his race by “Gabby” Zuniga, who’s an OnlyFans model, and her lawyer, Tony Buzbee.
“This is a shakedown. This is all being orchestrated by Tony Buzbee, who is targeting Jay-Z.” He said, “Tony Buzbee targets Black men.” Sharpe has gone as far as saying Buzbee plans to release an edited and misleading sex tape. And he even invited Buzbee to release the entire tape, saying he would have done it himself if he had access.
How Much Is Shannon Sharpe Getting Sued For?
Gabriella Zuniga is suing the podcast host for $50 million in damages. If or when this suit goes to trial, the recovery will be determined by a jury, based on the evidence and the law. Sharpe’s lawyer, Lanny J. Davis, has confirmed that before the lawsuit, his client offered at least $10 million to settle rape accusations with the ex-girlfriend Zuniga in a settlement for her silence.
However, she and her lawyer, Buzbee, rejected the offer, which was made before Davis took Sharpe on as a client. Sharpe has vowed to counter-sue Zuniga for defamation. He intends to defend himself in court, as all indications suggest that the civil lawsuit will go to trial.
What Does the Internet Think About Shannon Sharpe’s Rape Allegations?
The internet has been filled with mixed reactions to Shannon Sharpe’s rape allegations. ProFootballTalk on X posted, “On one hand, Shannon Sharpe insists the claims recently filed against him are false. On the other hand, Sharpe offered (per his lawyer) ‘at least $10 million’ to settle the claims before the case was filed.” If it was all fake, why offer that kind of money?”
On Tuesday, Stephen A. Smith also broke his silence on the lawsuit filed against Sharpe. “I don’t know where this is going to go,” He said, “I don’t know what’s happened. I know I got love for the brother. And I know that I’m wishing that he’s innocent and all of this stuff goes away.” Notably, Smith and Sharpe have worked together since Sharpe joined ESPN from Fox.
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