Bo Jackson has resolved the turmoil with his nephew and niece, who he alleged attempted to extort $20 million from him through a harassment campaign.
As of Jan. 15, Jackson and his estranged relatives have put their family feud to rest through a private settlement.
“The parties have conducted two mediations and have reached a private agreement resolving this dispute,” according to court filings, as reported by The Associated Press.
Family Fight
On Feb. 2, 2024, Jackson won a default judgment in the Cobb County Superior Court of Georgia, which ruled that his nephew, Thomas Lee Anderson, and niece, Erica M. Anderson, attempted to spread misinformation about him, painting the former Los Angeles Raider and MLB outfielder in a negative light.
The extortion lawsuit in Jackson’s favor awarded him $21 million, including $20 million in punitive damages and $1 million in compensatory damages, The Los Angeles Times reported.
The two-sports athlete was also given a permanent protective order against the Andersons, according to the Times.
They are prohibited from being within 500 yards of Jackson, his wife, or his children, and they cannot mention or contact him in any way, The Associated Press reported.
Jackson’s decision to vacate the judgment comes after he accepted a private settlement with the Andersons, according to the Times.
The AP reported that Jackson claimed the alleged extortion and harassment began in 2022 and caused him great pain. This included a comment made by Thomas on Facebook, in which he mentioned preparing to release private photos, text messages, and medical records to “show America” Jackson’s situation.
During a hearing in May 2023, the Andersons agreed to a temporary protective order issued by Superior Court Judge Jason D. Marbutt, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
However, they did not attend court and were unable to refute Jackson’s claims in person.
By February 2024, the court issued a default judgment for Jackson.
According to Jackson, that the Andersons, along with their attorney, were planning to humiliate Jackson by posting private, threatening messages on social media. Additionally, Jackson claimed they intended to disrupt a charity event he was hosting at a nearby restaurant to intimidate him.
“Reasonable people would find defendants’ behavior extreme and outrageous,” Marbutt wrote in a statement regarding the $21 million judgment. “The court saw evidence that an attorney representing defendants claimed his clients’ conduct would cease for the sum of $20 million.”
