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DJ Akademiks recently spoke about Shannon Sharpe's legal troubles after the former NFL star and podcaster was sued for s*xual assault and battery on April 20, 2025.
Trigger Warning: This article includes graphic details about sexual abuse. Reader discretion is advised.
The alleged victim, referred to as Jane Doe, claimed she met Sharpe when she was 19 and he was 56 at an LA gym in 2023. She alleged that they engaged in what the suit described as a "rocky consensual relationship" where he was frequently "aggressive" and r*ped her multiple times.
During his recent Rumble livestream, DJ Akademiks claimed Shannon Sharpe knew about the lawsuit before it was filed. Additionally, the media personality theorized that the alleged victim initially approached Sharpe for a settlement, and when he declined, she chose to sue him publicly.
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Akademiks claimed that Sharpe's statement following the complaint proved that the podcaster was aware of the lawsuit. He added that Sharpe's statement also referenced several alleged text messages between him and the plaintiff dating back to 2023.
"They drop it [the lawsuit] while he's on air. But, literally less than two or three hours afterwards, his counsel puts up this [the statement]. What does this tell me? This tells me that Shannon Sharpe knew about this lawsuit," he said.
"They probably came to Shannon Sharpe to say, 'Pay us this.' Shannon Sharpe probably said, 'Eat a f**king d**k.' And that's why they kinda already had this prepared, and what I mean when I say they have this prepared, they're quoting text messages from 2023."
Shannon Sharpe accused of trying to "manipulate, control, subjugate and violate women"
On April 20, 2025, an unnamed woman filed a lawsuit against Shannon Sharpe for s*xual assault and battery, alleging that the NFL star leveraged his fame to "manipulate, control, subjugate, and violate women." The complaint also portrayed Sharpe as allegedly "controlling" after he entered her home without her consent.
“Shannon Sharpe isn’t just a sports icon — he’s something far worse. He is a flawed, narcissistic individual who has spent years using his fame, power and influence to manipulate, control, subjugate and violate women," the suit claimed.
The woman claimed Sharpe had r*ped her three separate times during their relationship, twice in Vegas in October 2024 and once in January 2025. The lawsuit also alleged that Sharpe recorded their s*xual encounters sometimes without her consent and shared the intimate videos with "friends and associates."
The lawsuit filed in a Clark County court detailed one alleged instance of Sharpe r*ping the plaintiff, stating:
"After many months of manipulating and controlling Plaintiff — a woman more than thirty years younger than he — and repeatedly threatening to brutally choke and violently slap her, Sharpe refused to accept the answer no and r*ped Plaintiff, despite her sobbing and repeated screams of 'no'."
According to the lawsuit, Sharpe once verbally berated the woman for "what felt like hours" after she was five minutes late to meet him, accusing her of "wasting his time." After the alleged verbal abuse, Sharpe grabbed her by the neck and started having s*x with her.
The lawsuit, filed by attorney Tony Buzbee, sought over $50 million in "compensatory and punitive damages." In a statement to CNN, Buzbee commended his client for "standing up" against Sharpe, adding:
“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.”
Shannon Sharpe's statement claimed the accuser was a consensual partner
Shannon Sharpe issued a statement regarding the lawsuit. His attorney, Lanny Davis, dubbed it a "blatant and cynical attempt to shake down Mr. Sharpe for millions of dollars."
Furthermore, Sharpe alleged that Jane Doe had approached him with a video of them having s*x to "extract a large financial settlement." The statement claimed that the "secretly recorded video" had been heavily edited to "falsely portray a consensual act as non-consensual."
"We believe the video has been heavily edited and taken entirely out of context, crafted to falsely portray a consensual act as non-consensual," Davis continued.
The statement also listed several explicit messages allegedly exchanged between the plaintiff and Sharpe, asserting that the messages served as proof that the accuser was a willing and consensual partner.
Shannon Sharpe has won three Super Bowls during his career. He also hosts the Club Shay Shay podcast and was reportedly in discussions for a new podcast deal valued at over $100 million.
