Sherrone Moore's former assistant Paige Shiver issued a statement alleging "years of manipulation, harassment and exploitation" from Michigan's former head football coach
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Moore recently pleaded no contest to two misdemeanors: malicious use of a telecommunications device and trespass
Moore was fired from the University of Michigan after he allegedly engaged in an extramarital affair with a football team staff member
Sherrone Moore's former assistant, Paige Shiver, alleges that she faced years of "manipulation, harassment, and exploitation" from the now-former University of Michigan head football coach.
Moore "held enormous power over her professional life as the head football coach of one of the nation's most prominent college football programs," Shiver's legal team, Action Injury Law Group, alleged in a March 6 statement obtained by PEOPLE.
"The power imbalance between a powerful head coach and a subordinate employee created an environment where our client felt pressured, intimidated, and unable to escape conduct that should never occur in any workplace—let alone at a public university," the statement continues.
In December,the university fired Moorefor allegedly engaging in an "inappropriate relationship with a staff member." Moore waslater accusedof driving to the staffer's home, grabbing butter knives and threatening suicide. He was arraigned and charged with third-degree home invasion, stalking and entering without permission.
On March 6,Moore pleadedno contest to two misdemeanors: malicious use of a telecommunications device and trespass. Three more serious charges, including a felony home invasion that came with afive-year prison sentence if convicted, were dismissed as part of his plea agreement. Moore's sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 14, and he faces up to six months in prison.
"All the charges against Mr. Moore were not supported by facts of law. … the dismissal of those charges validates the concerns we raised," Moore's attorney, Ellen Michaels, said after the March 6 hearing, reportsMLive. "Mr. Moore is pleased to put this behind him and move forward."
Shiver's attorneys claimed the plea deal "confirms the seriousness of that criminal misconduct," adding, "But this case is about far more than one terrifying incident."
While the statement does not provide further details about Moore and Shiver's relationship, her attorney, Andrew M. Stroth, toldThe Detroit Newsthat since Moore was fired over the relationship, it shouldn't have happened at all. "He took advantage of a younger, female employee," Stroth told the outlet. "Leadership knew and failed to act to protect her."
The statement alleges that this happened over the course of a "long period of time."
"It raises urgent and troubling questions about how a powerful figure within a major university athletic program was able to engage in years of inappropriate conduct toward a subordinate without meaningful intervention or oversight," the statement reads.
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Shiver believes she was not the only employee who was a victim of "inappropriate, coercive or predatory behavior." The statement also noted that Shiver's decision to publicly reveal her name came with a "tremendous personal cost."
"She believes that silence allows abuse of power to continue. Her hope is that by speaking out, others who may have been intimidated into remaining quiet will find the strength to share their experiences as well."
Her attorneys call for "a thorough and transparent investigation" into the alleged "conduct," as well as "any related institutional failures."
PEOPLE reached out to the University of Michigan Athletics Department and Michaels for comment.
Shiver's attorneys also claim that Moore's no-contest plea "was entered a mere days following press reportsalleging his failure to report sexual assault allegations against former Michigan assistant coach LaTroy Lewis."
On Feb. 26, journalist Justin Spiroreportedthat Lewis allegedly raped a woman in December 2024 when he was a Michigan coaching staff member. The accuser alleged that she informed Moore, whom she knew personally, about the alleged rape and battery shortly after they occurred, according to Spiro andESPN.
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The accuser's attorney, Karen Truszkowski, told ESPN that Moore not only failed to report the alleged assault but also "weaponized" the incident against her by sending her sexual messages. An attorney for Moore, Ellen Michaels, denied these allegations in a statement to PEOPLE, stating, "Sherrone Moore did not fail to report misconduct, did not reward wrongdoing and did not harass anyone. These claims are false."
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go torainn.org.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go tothehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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