A judge has ordered Shannon Sharpe to preserve all copies of a sex tape at the center of a recently settled $50 million rape lawsuit, as the video becomes key evidence in a second case.
The ESPN star had just settled a lawsuit with an OnlyFans model known as Jane Doe, who accused him of rape in late 2024 and early 2025. Though Sharpe denied the allegations and called the case a “shakedown,” the lawsuit was dismissed last week after a confidential settlement.
Sharpe’s ex-girlfriend, Gabriella Zuniga, announced the following day that she had retired from OnlyFans.
Now, Michele Evans, another woman accusing Sharpe of rape, has asked the court to block the destruction of that same tape, which her attorneys say could be vital to her own ongoing case. A judge sided with Evans on Tuesday, ordering that all footage between Sharpe and Jane Doe be preserved.
Evans, a former sports reporter who says Sharpe raped her in 2010, claims the ex-NFL star later harassed and defamed her publicly. She currently has two lawsuits pending, one accusing Sharpe of gender-motivated violence and another targeting media companies she alleges aired defamatory statements about her.
In a recent interview with The U.S. Sun, Evans gave a grueling account of the alleged assault, claiming she was overpowered despite saying no repeatedly. She said she was initially afraid to report Sharpe but later filed a restraining order and civil suit, citing years of threats and surveillance.
Sharpe’s legal team denies all allegations. “Sadly, Ms. Evans became obsessed with Shannon and decided to manufacture a claim,” said his attorney, calling the lawsuits “completely devoid of merit.”
Sharpe has since stepped away from ESPN’s First Take amid the legal storm.