Shannon Sharpe settled the OnlyFans lawsuit brought against him by Gabriella Zuniga in July 2025, ending a $50 million civil case that accused the Pro Football Hall of Famer of rape and sexual battery. The case was dismissed with prejudice on July 18, 2025, meaning it cannot be refiled. Financial terms were not disclosed. No criminal charges were ever filed, and Sharpe denied the allegations throughout.
Who Sued Sharpe and What the Complaint Alleged
Gabriella Zuniga, a former OnlyFans content creator who met Sharpe at a gym in early 2023 when she was 19 and he was in his mid-fifties, filed the lawsuit on April 20, 2025, in the Eighth Judicial District Court of Clark County, Nevada. She filed under the pseudonym “Jane Doe.” The case, numbered A-25-917246-C, named Sharpe as the sole defendant and sought $50 million across claims of assault, sexual assault, battery, sexual battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
The complaint alleged that Sharpe raped Zuniga during incidents in October 2024 and January 2025. It further claimed he recorded sexual encounters without her consent and, on at least one occasion, shared a recording with a third party. The filing described repeated demands that Zuniga sign a nondisclosure agreement, which she refused, along with verbal threats and persistent phone calls.
The suit also referenced Sharpe’s accidental Instagram Live broadcast on September 11, 2024, in which audio of him engaged in sexual activity streamed to nearly 3.2 million followers. Sharpe first said his account had been hacked, then acknowledged on his podcast the same day that it was a mistake. According to the complaint, that incident set off a dispute in which Zuniga demanded a formal apology.
Sharpe’s Denial and Defense
Sharpe categorically denied the allegations. The day after the suit was filed, his attorney Lanny J. Davis called it “a blatant and cynical attempt to shake down Mr. Sharpe for millions of dollars” and “an egregious attempt at blackmail,” saying the complaint was “filled with lies, distortions, and misrepresentations.”
His legal team released 44 pages of text messages between the two, some dating to March 2023, which they said showed a consensual relationship involving mutual role-playing and explicit requests from Zuniga. Davis argued the messages proved the relationship was “sexual in nature — and, in many cases, initiated by her with specific and graphic requests.”
Zuniga’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, countered that every released message predated the alleged assaults and called them a “distraction.” Buzbee released a 30-second audio clip in which Sharpe could be heard telling Zuniga, “I’m going to f—ing choke the s–t out of you.” Sharpe’s side said the clip was taken out of context.
Sharpe also identified Zuniga by name on X shortly after the suit was filed, stripping away the pseudonym she had used in her filings. Another of his attorneys, Mitchell Schuster, described the case as an extortion attempt triggered when Zuniga learned Sharpe “would not father a child with her.”
How the Case Ended
Davis said in April 2025 that Sharpe’s team had offered Zuniga at least $10 million during pre-suit mediation, which she declined. Talks continued after filing. On July 18, 2025, Buzbee announced on X that the parties had reached “a mutually agreed upon resolution” and that the case was closed. The dismissal was entered with prejudice the same day.
The settlement figure was never officially confirmed. NBC Sports reported the amount “likely exceeds $10 million.” Unnamed sources cited in an Ebony timeline placed it at roughly $20 million. Neither number was verified by the parties. Both sides described the relationship as long-term, consensual, and “tumultuous,” with no admission of wrongdoing.
Michael Marino handled the final settlement talks for Sharpe alongside Buzbee for Zuniga.
ESPN Parted Ways With Sharpe
Sharpe had been off ESPN’s First Take since late April 2025, shortly after the suit became public. He said at the time he was “temporarily stepping aside” and planned to return for the NFL preseason. He did not. On July 30, 2025, less than two weeks after the settlement, multiple outlets reported that ESPN had cut ties with him. The network declined to comment.
On his Nightcap podcast, Sharpe said he was “at peace” with the decision but was frustrated that the news overshadowed his brother Sterling Sharpe’s induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. His First Take co-host Stephen A. Smith, speaking on The Dan Le Batard Show in August 2025, said he had “a lot of love” for Sharpe and that “certain decisions that were made were way above my pay grade.”
Financial Impact and Current Status
Before the suit became public, Sharpe had been closing in on a podcast deal reportedly worth more than $100 million for Club Shay Shay. His distribution agreement with Colin Cowherd’s The Volume network was set to expire at the end of August 2025, and multiple offers were reported to be on the table. Whether that deal was finalized has not been publicly confirmed.
On an August 2025 Nightcap episode, Sharpe quipped that his “pockets are light” after the settlement and the ESPN split. His net worth before the lawsuit was reported at over $14 million, with annual income exceeding $10 million from his ESPN salary, podcast revenue, and business ventures. His entire NFL career had paid him roughly $22 million.
As of mid-2025, Sharpe continued hosting Club Shay Shay and Nightcap with Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson.
Were Criminal Charges Filed?
No. The case against Sharpe was a civil lawsuit for money damages. No criminal charges were filed in connection with the allegations, and the civil settlement did not include any admission of wrongdoing.