Former NFL linebacker Shawne Merriman has been ordered to pay $4 million to the family of Kimberly Fattorini, a Playboy casting associate who died of an accidental overdose in 2017. The payment follows a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Fattorini’s parents, who accused the former football player of drugging and sexually assaulting their daughter before her death. Merriman has denied the allegations.According to a report by TMZ Sports, a Los Angeles judge issued the order in early October against Merriman and three other defendants – J.P. Castro, Monica Maass and Elias Wehbe. A jury had found the four defendants liable in 2025, with the latest ruling determining the payment to Fattorini’s family.
Shawne Merriman faced wrongful death lawsuit after Kimberly Fattorini’s death
Fattorini’s parents, DeAnn and Ferdinand Fattorini, filed the lawsuit against Merriman in 2019. The case alleged that their daughter had been drugged and sexually assaulted before she died following a night out.According to the lawsuit, Fattorini had sent a text message to a club promoter claiming that a friend of Merriman’s had put GHB in her drink. GHB is a substance commonly associated with drug-facilitated sexual assault.Fattorini was found with alcohol, cocaine and GHB in her system. Her death was ruled accidental. She was 30 years old at the time.Merriman, now 42, has denied the allegations. His lawyer told TMZ Sports that the claims were “baseless” and said a police investigation had found no evidence of culpability.
Nightclubs not held liable for damages
The lawsuit also named nightclub-related defendants, including The Highlight Room, Tao Group and The Warwick. However, the judge did not order these defendants to pay damages to Fattorini’s family.The $4 million payment order applies to Merriman and the three other defendants found liable in the civil case. The ruling follows the jury’s 2025 finding and represents a significant development in the long-running legal dispute.
Who was Kimberly Fattorini?
Fattorini worked as a casting associate at Playboy and also had part-time modelling assignments, including work for Maxim and FHM Thailand. Her death in 2017 prompted her parents to pursue legal action over the circumstances surrounding the overdose.The wrongful death lawsuit sought to hold those named in the case responsible for her death. Merriman has maintained his denial of the allegations.
Shawne Merriman’s NFL career
Merriman played eight seasons in the National Football League, including six with the San Diego Chargers and two with the Buffalo Bills. Selected in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft, he made an immediate impact and won Defensive Rookie of the Year in his first season.He was selected to the Pro Bowl three times before retiring from professional football in 2013, aged 28.