Bo Jackson knows football and baseball, but he also knows ‘the law’, wins $21 million extortion case 

Former NFL Pro Bowler and MLB All-Star MVP Bo Jackson shows that he knows more than just sports, he knows the law, after the two sports legion was awarded more than $21 million in damages by a Cobb Superior Court ruling in a case against his niece and nephew.

Thomas Lee Anderson and Erica Anderson were accused of attempting to extort Jackson, 61, by harassing and intimidating him on social media. The pair threatened to post false information about the sports legion and made baseless accusations with their extortion attempts that reportedly began in 2022.

As the threats continued, the niece and nephew allegedly demanded $20 million from Jackson to cease the intimidation. 

Jackson’s attorney, Robert Ingram, filed a lawsuit on his behalf in Cobb Superior Court. In the lawsuit, Ingram accused the defendants of making false claims about Jackson, including accusations of child abuse and comparisons to convicted child molester R. Kelly.

The lawsuit also mentioned threats to disrupt Bo Bikes Bama, an annual charity bike ride organized by Jackson to raise funds for disaster preparedness in Alabama. Jackson was raised in Alabama and attended Auburn University.

The lawsuit alleged that Thomas Anderson wrote on Facebook that he would release photos, text, and medical records of Jackson to “show America” that he wasn’t playing around. Jackson feared for his safety and that of his immediate family, the lawsuit stated. 

In addition to the award, Jackson obtained a permanent protective order barring the siblings from further bothering or contacting him and his immediate family members. The Andersons must also stay at least 500 yards away from the Jacksons and their homes, workplaces, and schools. They must also remove from social media any content about Jackson and his family.

During the trial, Dr. Eugene Lipov, a pain specialist, testified that he treated Jackson for persistent hiccups resulting from stress related to the extortion attempts.

Cobb Superior Court Judge Jason Marbutt ruled against the siblings and ordered that they pay Jackson $20 million in punitive damages, an additional $1 million in compensatory damages, and just over $100,000 for Jackson’s legal fees.

The niece and nephew did not appear for the trial, and their lawyer was also absent.

In a news release following the case, Jackson’s attorney said “Bo still hits back hard.”