ESPN’s Shannon Sharpe Facing Sex Assault Lawsuit

According to the lawsuit, one of the sports commentator’s former romantic partners is accusing the man of illegally recording the couple’s intimate relations without consent, luring her into a disturbing age-gap relationship, and sexually assaulting her on more than one occasion.

The suspect is currently receiving legal counsel from the same team that’s representing Sean “Diddy” Combs in his sexual abuse case.

According to the lawsuit, the former couple met in 2023 in a California gym. At the time, Sharpe was 54 years old, and the victim was only 19. The young woman wasn’t interested in Sharpe’s persistent pursuit at first, but he was eventually able to trick her into competing with him in a proposed fitness challenge. The “challenge” was set to see who could lose the most weight in a certain period of time. The older man promised to pay the victim for breast augmentation surgery if she won.

After non-stop efforts, the 19-year-old eventually gave in to an intimate relationship with the older man consensually. After that first consensual get-together, the older man’s pursuit became even more intense. Eventually, he pushed boundaries further and further, encouraging her to let him film sexual encounters. She unwillingly agreed to allow him to record them a few times, but she wasn’t comfortable.

At some point, Sharpe began illegally recording the couple’s most intimate moments without the 19-year-old’s consent. In September of 2024, Sharpe was caught on Instagram Live having an affair, which caused the young victim to completely lose interest in him.

Despite that, he kept attempting to have sexual encounters with her. In October, Sharpe approached the young victim in the gym and threatened her. Later that day, he allegedly sexually assaulted her at her apartment. A few months later in January of 2025, he convinced the victim to let him into her apartment before assaulting her again.

Unfortunately, text messages between the couple complicate the case, since these interactions suggest the younger woman requested dominant behavior from the older man at times.

The victim is seeking $50 million in damages.

Are You Facing Sexual Assault Allegations?

Shannon Sharpe’s fall from grace has been disturbing, to say the least, yet the suspect has not faced any criminal charges as a result of the allegations. So far, the victim has only pursued recourse in civil court.

Civil court allows victims to seek financial compensation for their losses, but criminal court allows victims to seek justice through punitive means. By seeking criminal charges, the victim could put restrictions on the suspect’s life. A criminal conviction of sexual assault charges lands the suspect on a public sexual offender registry, often results in jail time, and could lead to significant fines and fees.

To avoid these consequences, it’s best to retain a lawyer, whether you’re facing criminal or civil allegations. Here at LV Criminal Defense, our team can help with any sex-related criminal charges you’re facing in Las Vegas. Contact us now to schedule a free case evaluation.