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Shannon Sharpe threatens to ‘choke’ rape accuser in alleged audio as woman pleads ‘don’t manipulate me’

Alleged audio of an explicit conversation between Shannon Sharpe and his accuser has been released shortly after the ESPN personality denied the allegations.

Published on: Apr 23, 2025, 07:29:58 IST
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Alleged audio of an explicit conversation between Shannon Sharpe and a woman who accused him of rape has been released. In the audio, the ESPN personality appears to tell the accuser, “I’m going to f–king choke the s–t out of you.” This comes shortly after the woman filed a $50 million lawsuit against Sharpe.

Shannon Sharpe threatens to ‘choke’ rape accuser in alleged audio (Photo by Sean Gardner / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP) (Getty Images via AFP)
Shannon Sharpe threatens to ‘choke’ rape accuser in alleged audio (Photo by Sean Gardner / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP) (Getty Images via AFP)

In the alleged conversation shared by the accuser, which was obtained by the New York Post, the woman is heard on the call saying, “Anything I say you’re just going to get mad at and you’re just going to hang up on me, so I feel like…,” before Sharpe replied, “I’m not going to hang up on you, it is what it is.”

The plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe in legal docs, then counters, “What does that even mean?” Sharpe allegedly replies, “Nothing yet. …You want to be a d–k to me now, so.”

The woman then tells Sharpe, “I don’t want to be, don’t manipulate me.” Sharpe seems to mutter something before the conversation becomes vulgar.

“If you say that word one more time, I’m going to f–king choke the s–t out of you when I see you,” Sharpe allegedly says.

After a long pause, Sharpe appears to speak again, before the woman says, “I don’t want to be choked…”

“Yes, you do,” Sharpe replied. “I don’t think you have a choice in the matter.”

Shannon Sharpe breaks silence

The audio comes shortly after Sharpe denied the allegations. He recently addressed the ongoing events in a video on social media, saying, “To my family, friends, supporters and colleagues: I want to speak to you directly and from the heart. This is a shakedown. I’m gonna be open, transparent and defend myself because this isn’t right.”

“This is all being orchestrated by Tony Buzbee, who has targeted Jay-Z. Tony Buzbee targets black men,” he said of the attorney representing the accuser.

Sharpe further claimed that he believes Buzbee will be releasing a “30-second clip of a sex tape that tries to make [him] look guilty and play into every stereotype [one] could possibly imagine.” He added that he thinks the alleged video “should actually be 10 minutes or so.”

Sharpe then directly addressed Buzbee, saying, “Hey, Tony, instead of releasing your edit, put the whole video out. I don’t have it, or I would myself. You know what happened, and you’re trying to manipulate the media.”

Sharpe claimed that the “encounter in question took place during the day at [the woman’s] invitation,” which he now thinks was “a deliberate setup coordinated by” the woman. “[The woman] and Tony Buzbee want $50 million. What they’re getting is sued for defamation and trying to take me down,” Sharpe added. “My career is all about real talk and honesty. I know my family and fans know exactly what this is about, and I’m going to be out there telling you whatever I need to say, just like I always do. I love all you guys. Thanks.”

  • Sumanti Sen
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Sumanti Sen

    Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

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