The 2026 NFL season just gets worse and worse for Chargers Nation. In addition to dropping to 0-6 after a 22-6 thrashing at the hands Patrick Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, former NFL star Shawne “Lights Out” Merriman has been ordered to pay a $4M judgment in a wrongful death lawsuit involving a Playboy employee who died of an overdose, according to TMZ.
Court documents state that a Los Angeles judge entered a $4 million judgment against the former Chargers All-Pro linebacker and three other defendants earlier this month over the 2017 death of Kimberly Fattorini.
This latest ruling comes after a jury found Merriman and the other defendants liable for her death last year and awarded Kimberly’s parents, DeAnn and Ferdinand Fattorini, millions in damages.
NFL fans were surprised to hear about the civil verdict, and most were unaware of the situation completely.
“This explains why he’s been lights out on social media lately,” one user commented with sarcasm.
“I always thought this guy was a borderline psychopath,” another said about Merriman.
“Damn you rich and gotta Bill Cosby b*tches? At least Bill knew what he was doing. He never had a b-tch die on him,” one netizen quipped.
Some fans were curious at to why there were only civil charges filed.
“$4 million is a lot for a wrongful death case, but money can’t fix the situation. Just makes you wonder what really went down behind the scenes,” expressed one woman on X.
Why Did Kimberly’s Parents Sue Former NFL Great For Wrongful Death?
According to previous TMZ reports, Kimberly’s parents sued Merriman in 2019, alleging that the eight year veteran who collected 45.5 sacks in his NFL career, drugged and “possibly” sexually assaulted their daughter prior to her overdosing following a night of partying.
The lawsuit alleges that prior to her unfortunate death Kimberly texted a club promoter alledging that Merriman’s friend contaminated her drink with GHB — commonly known as a date rape drug. While her death was ruled accidental, with alcohol, cocaine and GHB found in her system, her family wasn’t content with that conclusion.
Merriman previously denied any wrongdoing, with his legal team refuting the allegations as baseless based on a police investigation that exonerating Merriman of any personal or criminal involvement in Fattorini’s death.
Shawn Merriman Refutes Accusations
“This alleged lawsuit is baseless,” a Merriman representative told TMZ in 2019. The representative said Merriman had been at an after-party where “a young woman unfortunately overdosed,” and that police investigated the death and found no wrongdoing on his part. Prosecutors never filed criminal charges. No public response from Merriman to the judgment has surfaced as of Monday morning.
Under the newly-filed judgment Merriman, J.P. Castro and Monica Maass are held responsible for the $4 million award, along with Elias Wehbe.
The nightclub’s defendants, including The Highlight Room, Tao Group and The Warwick were not found liable and are not on the hook for any damages to Kimberly’s family. The Oct. 5 judgment comes more than nine years after Kimberly’s death
According to reports, Kimberly grew up in La Mirada, California, and graduated with honors from La Mirada High School. She reportedly earned a business administration and economics degree at Whittier College, which named her an Outstanding Student in 2009, according to an Elle magazine investigation. In addition, she worked as a casting associate at Playboy Plus, modeled for Maxim and FHM Thailand, while reportedly building a social media following of more than 150,000.
So how did she end up overdosing in a private room with a former NFL star present?
Her parents filed suit in July 2019, alleging Wehbe ran a system that recruited women for wealthy male guests and supplied drugs and alcohol. Merriman was present when Kimberly overdosed, but the extent of his relationship with Wehbe, a club promoter, is unknown beyond the civil wrongful death suit.
The suit alleged some serious accusations, including that a witness saw Merriman carrying a bottle of liquid, and that he moved Fattorini’s body and left before paramedics arrived, according to reports damages were sought for battery, negligence and a violation of California’s Drug Dealer Liability Act, but these allegations never made in to criminal court.
