Shannon Sharpe is currently facing a $50 million lawsuit alleging sexual assault, battery, and emotional distress, filed by a woman who accuses him of raping and abusing her over a nearly two-year consensual relationship.
The case has escalated with the release of leaked audio recordings where Sharpe is allegedly heard making threatening remarks, including a phrase “Big black guy chokes small white woman,” and there is mention of a possible upcoming 30-second clip from an alleged s*x tape.
Sharpe’s legal team denies the allegations, stating that the relationship was consensual and included s*xually explicit role play initiated by the accuser, and they have released text messages purportedly supporting their claims.
Sharpe himself has called the lawsuit a “shakedown” and claims the situation is being manipulated by his accuser’s lawyer. The controversy gained public attention after Sharpe accidentally streamed explicit audio during an Instagram Live in September
