Former NFL star Shawne Merriman ordered to pay $4 million in overdose death case

A Los Angeles judge issued a $4 million judgment against former NFL linebacker Shawne Merriman, finding him liable in a wrongful-death lawsuit concerning the 2017 overdose of Playboy employee Kimberly Fattorini. The jury’s 2025 decision also named J.P. Castro, Monica Maass and Elias Wehbe as responsible parties.

Fattorini’s parents, DeAnn and Ferdinand Fattorini, had sued Merriman in 2019, claiming a friend of the three-time Pro Bowler poured GHB into her drink, contributing to her fatal overdose that also involved alcohol and cocaine. The court did not assign any damages to the nightclubs The Highlight Room, Tao Group or The Warwick. Merriman, who denied the allegations, has had his attorney describe the claims as baseless, noting that police investigations found no evidence of wrongdoing.

Fattorini, 30, worked as a casting associate for Playboy and modeled for Maxim and FHM Thailand. Merriman’s NFL career spanned eight seasons, including stints with the Chargers and the Bills, before retiring in 2013.