Shannon Sharpe Identifies Woman Suing Him in $50M Sexual Assault Lawsuit

The NFL Hall of Famer responded to the lawsuit from a woman who initially opted to use a pseudonym. The pair met two years ago when she was 22 years old.

The plaintiff filed her case under the name Jane Doe in Nevada State Court. According to documents obtained by People, she alleges that Shannon Sharpe, 56, raped her on several occasions during "rocky consensual relationship," lasting nearly two years.

Doe says she met Sharpe in 2023 at a gym in Los Angeles, after which he began making advances at her. She eventually gave in. She alleges that Sharpe required her to sign a non-disclosure agreement before they could meet up, but withdrew after she refused.

The complaint then goes on to recount an incident where Sharpe allegedly became violent and threatened to kill Doe after showing up at his house late.

The document states that Sharpe allegedly demanded complete control over Doe's body, expecting her to strictly adhere to his schedule regarding visits, at his request, whenever he called.

Doe also accuses Sharpe of recording their sexual encounters without consent and sharing the footage with others. Sharpe's lawyer, Lanny Davis, has firmly denied the allegations.

In a statement to People, he argued that Sharpe and Doe's relationship was consensual and the lawsuit is a shakedown attempt.

Sharpe also shared his lawyer's statement on Instagram which featured sexually explicit texts from Doe—whose real name is Gabriella Zuniga—allegedly requesting payment for sexual favors.

The complainant is being represented by Tony Buzbee, who said he was "extremely proud to be representing her and looked forward to "pressing this case in court."