EXCLUSIVE: Shannon Sharpe Releases Twisted X-Rated Text Messages from $50Million Rape Accuser to Claim It Was All Consensual — As He Claims Sex Tape Was 'Heavily Edited'
Sharpe's attorney sent a scathing response to rape accusations.
April 22 2025, Published 1:44 p.m. ET
Shannon Sharpe has shot back at his sexual assault accuser, calling her demands for $50million an "egregious attempt at blackmail," RadarOnline.com can report.
The former football star released a trove of racy text messages he received and exchanged with the woman, whom Sharpe's attorney has now identified as Gabriella Zuniga.
The footballer turned podcast host has been sued by a woman for $50million.
In her 13-page lawsuit filing on Sunday, Zuniga claimed to have had an abusive relationship with the one-time tight end for years, and wants him to pay for her pain.
Instead, Sharpe's lawyer provided Radar with a statement fired off on his client's behalf, calling her case "filled with lies, distortions, and misrepresentations."
Attorney Lanny Davis included a collection of salacious messages Zuniga allegedly sent to Sharpe, which Davis said "are just a sampling of a broader pattern of graphic, sexual communications initiated by Ms. Zuniga.
"The evidence paints a clear picture: this was a consensual, adult relationship that included role-playing, sexual language, and fantasy scenarios explicitly requested by Ms. Zuniga."
Sharpe released graphic text messages from the woman to show the relationship was consensual.
Text messages said to be from Zuniga were also shared by Davis, who said in the statement: "To set the record straight, we are releasing several of Ms. Zuniga’s own explicit text messages to Mr. Sharpe that clearly indicate the nature of their relationship was consensual and sexual in nature — and, in many cases, initiated by her with specific and graphic requests.
The graphic messages included alleged requests from Zuniga, such as: "I want you to put a dog collar around my neck and choke me with it while you're f---ing me."
Another read: "I wanna put my tongue in your a--hole and then marry u."
One of the last texts, accompanied by a photo of the alleged victim seemed to be asking Sharpe for money: "I know u miss this big juicy a--…$25k for each cheek."
Davis contends the relationship was ended after the request.
He has denied all accusations.
Zuniga also apparently threatened Sharpe with a sex tape, but Davis responded: "In her effort to extract a large financial settlement, Ms. Zuniga presented Mr. Sharpe with a secretly recorded video of a consensual sexual encounter."
However, Davis said the video has been heavily edited and taken out of context.
"The edited tape that Ms. Zuniga secretly taped and showed to Mr. Sharpe during her blackmail attempt tries to falsely portray, as a result of this editing and out of context from prior text messages, that the sexual activity was not consensual," according to the statement.
"But Mr. Sharpe now believes her secret taping was all part of her planned set-up as part of her blackmail scheme, as distorted by her edited tape, a copy of which she refused to make available to Mr. Sharpe or his counsel."
Sharpe's lawyer will fight in court.
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In her original complaint, Zuniga claimed that she first met Sharpe at a gym in Los Angeles when she was just 19 years old. She was not aware of who he was at the time, but said she found him "physically intimidating."
After reluctantly agreeing to a date, the two entered into a relationship.
The lawsuit states: "She discovered over time that Sharpe was extremely emotional and possessed an uncontrollable temper. He displayed the characteristics of a true narcissist."
The turning point allegedly came when Sharpe went live on Instagram while having sex with another woman – something he said was an accident, but Zuniga claims was done on purpose to advance his career.
"Sharpe flew into fits of anger when Plaintiff noted his infidelity to their relationship or called him out about his extraneous activities," the suit states.
Last October, Zuniga's lawyers claim Sharpe "violently sexually assaulted and raped Plaintiff two different times in Las Vegas, Nevada, blatantly ignoring her requests for him to stop. He did it again in January."
The lawsuit comes just as Sharpe is looking to score a new deal for his Club Shay Shay podcast and overall Shay Shay Media network that could exceed $100 million.
Sharpe's podcast has blown up since its debut in 2023 and boasts nearly four million subscribers on YouTube alone.
He is also a star on ESPN as well, appearing on First Take alongside Stephen A. Smith. A representative, when asked about the sports network's response to the lawsuit, simply replied to Radar: "No comment."
Zuniga is represented by famed attorney Tony Buzbee, who represented more than 20 women who sued Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson in early 2021 on allegations of sexual assault and misconduct.
He told RadarOnline.com: "I’m extremely proud to represent (Zuniga). It takes a great deal of courage to stand up against those with power, fame and money. I look forward to pressing this case in court."
