Who is Shannon Sharpe’s accuser? – Here’s what we know about ‘Gabbi Zuniga’

Gabriella Zuniga, known on social media as ‘Gabbi’ or by her OnlyFans alias ‘Karli,’ is at the centre of a high-profile legal case involving retired NFL star and current ESPN analyst Shannon Sharpe.

What we know so far about ‘Gabbi Zuniga’

At just 20 years old, Zuniga has made headlines for filing a $50 million lawsuit against Sharpe, accusing him of a range of serious offences including rape, physical assault, and coercive behaviour.

Before the lawsuit, Zuniga was primarily known online. She built a substantial following on platforms like Instagram, where her account, @sheiskarli, boasts around 500,000 followers.

On OnlyFans, she charges $12.99 per month to access her adult-themed content, with 71 posts currently available.

Zuniga was initially referred to as “Jane Doe” in court filings, a standard practice used to protect the identity of plaintiffs in sensitive cases.

However, her name became public when Sharpe’s legal team released it during their aggressive response to the accusations. This disclosure, along with a series of explicit text messages, has sparked significant public interest.

Confusion has also arisen from social media accounts bearing the same name.

One woman named Gabriella Zuniga, based in Canada, had to clarify on her Instagram bio that she is not connected to the lawsuit, stating:

“I’m not associated with Shannon Sharpe I’m from Canada!!”

What’s the latest in the Shannon Sharpe sex assault lawsuit

The lawsuit against Shannon Sharpe has intensified public scrutiny, especially as more details continue to emerge. Filed in Nevada, the suit outlines allegations of sexual violence, manipulation, and psychological abuse throughout what was reportedly a two-year relationship between Sharpe and Zuniga.

Zuniga is represented by Tony Buzbee, a lawyer known for his controversial involvement in other high-profile sexual misconduct cases, including past actions against rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs and an ongoing legal feud with Jay-Z.

Sharpe, through his lawyer Lanny J. Davis, has strongly denied the allegations. His legal team claims that the lawsuit is an extortion attempt and have provided sexually explicit messages allegedly sent by Zuniga to support their assertion that the relationship was consensual and sexually driven.

Among the messages, one read: “$25k for each cheek,” and others included graphic language about fantasies and desires.

Additionally, Sharpe’s team claims that Zuniga showed him a secretly recorded video of one of their sexual encounters, which they believe was edited to misrepresent the situation.

They allege that the video was used to blackmail Sharpe for money and have demanded access to the original footage for their defence.

Despite the controversy, Sharpe has stated he will not settle and intends to defend himself fully in court. ESPN, where Sharpe is currently employed, is reportedly reviewing the case internally.

According to Stephen A. Smith, Sharpe’s co-host, Disney executives are closely monitoring developments before making any decisions about Sharpe’s future at the network.