Former NFL champion Shannon Sharpe is facing a lawsuit alleging sexual assault by a 19-year-old woman. The lawsuit, filed in Nevada, claims that Sharpe used his fame to manipulate and control the accuser, a woman more than 30 years younger than him.
The accuser alleges that she had a nearly two-year relationship with Sharpe, during which time he was “aggressive” and allegedly raped her on multiple occasions. She also claims that Sharpe recorded some of their intimate encounters without her consent and shared the videos with his friends and associates.
Sharpe has denied the allegations, calling them a “shakedown” and claiming that he is the target of a fraudulent lawsuit. He has accused the accuser’s lawyer, Tony Buzbee, of filing a false claim and threatened to sue for defamation.
The lawsuit seeks over $50 million in damages from Sharpe. Sharpe has 4 million subscribers to his podcast, Club Shay Shay, and was recently in negotiations on a $100m deal for his network of shows. The case marks a significant departure from Sharpe’s high-profile career as an NFL player and sports broadcaster.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c99pj3xj38do