A Nevada woman using the pseudonym “Jane Doe” filed a civil lawsuit against Shannon Sharpe accusing him of sexual assault, battery, and related claims, seeking around $50 million in damages. Her case was later handled publicly by attorney Tony Buzbee , whose firm represented her in the lawsuit.

Separately, Chicago entrepreneur Jimalita Tillman filed a $20 million defamation lawsuit against Shannon Sharpe, his media company, Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, and their producer, alleging they made false statements about her on their show.

So, in short:

  • The high-profile sexual assault/rape civil case was brought by an anonymous woman (Jane Doe), represented by Tony Buzbee.
  • Another, unrelated suit is the defamation case filed by Jimalita Tillman over comments made on Sharpe and Johnson’s podcast.