Shannon Sharpe is facing new sexual assault allegations from a second woman, Michele Evans, who is currently suing the former NFL star for defamation in a separate case in New York.

Evans, representing herself, filed her lawsuit in 2023 — nearly two years before a separate $50 million sexual assault lawsuit was filed by a “Jane Doe” in Nevada earlier this week.

In the New York complaint, obtained by PEOPLE, Evans alleges she and Sharpe had a relationship spanning nearly a decade, ending in 2010. She claims the relationship turned violent after an argument over Sharpe’s alleged infidelity.

Evans’ complaint accuses Sharpe of forcibly coercing her into non-consensual oral and vaginal sex, alleging he said during the assault that he would “make it so no other man would want me.“

Despite these serious allegations, Evans is not suing Sharpe for sexual assault but instead claims his actions, coupled with later defamatory comments, destroyed her professional reputation.

Sharpe’s Response to Michele Evans’ Allegations

A representative for Sharpe called Evans’ claims “ridiculous and completely without merit” in a statement to Page Six.

Additionally, Sharpe’s attorney, Mitchell Schuster, issued a detailed response to PEOPLE on Friday, April 25:

“It should be of no surprise that when someone famous is in the news, all sorts of people crawl out of the woodwork to share their connection to that person in an attempt to profit from that alleged relationship… This is exactly what is happening to Shannon Sharpe.”

Schuster emphasized that Evans’ lawsuit is “devoid of merit” and that Sharpe “has had no contact with this person for many years.“

He added that Sharpe plans to fight the allegations “with documentary proof and real evidence,” rather than “manufactured defenses or imaginary stories.”

Broader Context: Shannon Sharpe’s Recent Legal Troubles

This new development comes just days after Sharpe was sued in Nevada for allegedly raping and threatening another woman during a nearly two-year relationship. Sharpe denied those allegations as well, calling the lawsuit a “shakedown” and maintaining that the relationship was “100% consensual.”

In response to the Nevada lawsuit, Sharpe announced he would temporarily step away from ESPN, where he appears on First Take alongside Stephen A. Smith. He plans to return in time for the 2025 NFL preseason, beginning August 1.

Sharpe also continues to focus on his thriving podcast projects, “Club Shay Shay” and “Nightcap”, which have amassed millions of subscribers.