Bo Jackson Drops $21M Judgment Against Niece, Nephew in Extortion Case

MARIETTA, Ga. — Sports legend Vincent Edward “Bo” Jackson has agreed to abandon a $21 million judgment he won in a civil extortion case against his niece and nephew, ending a contentious legal battle. The former Heisman Trophy winner, who excelled in both the NFL and MLB, filed a joint motion Tuesday with Thomas Lee Anderson and Erica M. Anderson Ross, asking Cobb County Superior Court Judge Jason Marbutt to dismiss the judgment.

“The parties have conducted two mediations and have reached a private agreement resolving this dispute,” Jackson, Anderson, and Ross stated in the court filing. Under the settlement, Jackson will receive no monetary compensation, and Anderson and Ross will refrain from contacting or harassing Jackson and his family.

Jackson initially sued his niece and nephew in April 2023, alleging they attempted to extort $20 million from him. He accused them of relentless harassment, including threatening social media posts, public false allegations, and the disclosure of private information intended to cause emotional distress. The siblings, who lived in Cobb County and Texas, failed to respond to the lawsuit or attend a January 2024 hearing, resulting in a default judgment in Jackson’s favor.

In March 2024, Anderson and Ross hired new attorneys and sought to overturn the judgment or proceed to trial. They claimed their previous lawyer, Asya Morgan, misled them and that they were not properly notified of the hearing. Morgan, a Smyrna-based attorney, did not respond to requests for comment.

Jackson pushed back in April, arguing that the siblings’ attempt to overturn the judgment was “an effort by defendants to blame everyone but themselves.” He maintained that the court’s ruling should stand, though he acknowledged they might have “viable recourse” against their former counsel.

The settlement includes a permanent injunction barring Anderson and Ross from harassing or contacting Jackson and his immediate family. They must remain at least 500 yards away, with exceptions for sporting events, family gatherings, and court-related matters. The agreement also upholds Jackson’s claims of intentional infliction of emotional distress and invasion of privacy.

Jackson’s attorneys, Robert Ingram and David Conley of Marietta, and Sarah Brewerton-Palmer, representing Anderson and Ross, declined to comment on the settlement.