Shannon Sharpe Defamation Accuser Jimalita Tillman Speaks On $20 Million Lawsuit

The woman who accused Shannon Sharpe of defamation Jimalita Tillman shared the reasons she decided to take Sharp, Chad “Ocho Cinco” Johnson, and Sharpe’s media company to court after they allegedly repeated false information about her life on their Nightcap podcast. Speaking with The Morning Hustle, the Chicago native detailed her experience after she went viral at an Usher concert for a sensual interaction with the R&B singer. “It shows how much disregard they have for being able to have journalistic integrity of researching the facts,” she explained. Tillman also confirmed that she attempted to have the content removed by sending emails and letters and communicating with the media company prior to filing her lawsuit. “I’m a private citizen, and in the rules when it comes to that… you better fact check and double check what you’re saying and what you’re doing, because it’s wrong,” Tillman exclaimed. “I’m not a public figure. Every time I enter a meeting for funding, for programming, and activations and things, it comes up. I’m tired of being the punchline when it comes to that aspect. ”Tillman has planned to take the lawsuit to Congress and advocate for the rights of private citizens, oversight, and regulations. In the lawsuit, filed in April, Tillman claimed that the misinformation resulted in emotional distress, damage to her reputation, and adversely impacted her personal and professional relationships.“On April 2, 2025, I participated in a fan engagement moment at a Usher Raymond concert where I interacted with the artist as a selected audience member,” the lawsuit explained. “Following this event, the defendants made and disseminated false and defamatory statements suggesting that I was married and that my husband was filing for divorce due to my participation in this audience experience. I am not married, nor am I currently going through a divorce.” It continued, “The defendants’ false narratives were shared widely across their platforms, reaching millions of followers, viral spread, and refutation efforts, despite my clear and public reputation of the false narrative.”

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