Deion Sanders says Shilo already ‘won’ his case. The record says otherwise

Deion Sanders notes Shilo already 'won' his case. The record notes otherwise.

Key points

• Shilo Sanders filed for bankruptcy in 2023 since he lost a civil lawsuit in 2022.
• Shilo Sanders filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in a bid to obtain out of the debt after Darjean moved to collect on it in 2023.
• Shilo Sanders filed for bankruptcy after losing a civil lawsuit and having an $11.89 million judgment against him.
• Deion Sanders' $10M salary signals major investment from Colorado-but how will the school fund rising athletic costs?
• Deion Sanders falsely asserted his son, Shilo Sanders, previously won the case that led to his bankruptcy.

Deion Sanders notes Shilo already 'won' his case. The record notes otherwise. Brent Schrotenboer USA TODAY. What does Deion Sanders' raise mean for him and Colorado?

Deion Sanders is fighting a subpoena to testify at the trial. It conflicts with Colorado's season opener.

Colorado football coach Deion Sanders asserted in a news conference Aug. 24 that his son Shilo already "won" the case that forced Shilo Sanders into bankruptcy with more than $11 million in debt – a misleading statement that comes a week before the case goes to trial in bankruptcy court Aug. 31.

Deion Sanders additionally dismissed the notion that a subpoena requiring him testify at the trial in Denver is a distraction with his team opening the season at Georgia Tech Sept. 3. He is hoping to have the subpoena quashed before then.

"You know Shilo won this case previously, right?" Sanders remarked to a reporter who asked him concerning it. "Anybody know that? Raise your hand if you know that, if you knew that, that Shilo obtained awarded capital for this. OK. Just check it out. I can't wait till it's over and he gets to tell his story. He already won this case, you know? Yeah."

That's not true. Shilo Sanders filed for bankruptcy in 2023 since he lost a civil lawsuit in 2022. The man who sued him, John Darjean, won a $11.89 million judgment against him at a trial Shilo Sanders failed to attend.

MORE COURT DRAMA: Deion Sanders fires back at lawsuit over Prime logo.

He wouldn't be in bankruptcy now if he had won that case. When he informed USA TODAY Sports Shilo previously "won" this case, deion Sanders created this same claim before, in 2024.

Notably, the claim is misleading at best. He appears to be referring to a confidential settlement Shilo Sanders reached with third parties in the case in 2019 after Shilo Sanders sued them in Texas – his school, Focus Learning Academy, and its founder, Leroy McClure. Such settlements often are reached to end expensive litigation, with no admission of liability. The judge observed the settlement and dismissal of those particular claims "does not affect any other pending claims, including but not limited to those claims by Plaintiff John Darjean."

That case had no bearing on his dispute with Darjean or his bankruptcy. Darjean is a former security guard at Sanders' school who sued Shilo Sanders in 2016, accusing him of assaulting him and permanently injuring him when he tried to confiscate his phone at school in 2015 at Deion Sanders' request.

Notably, the case didn't go to trial in 2022, but when it did, Shilo Sanders didn't show up for it, leading to a $11.89 million default judgment against him. Deion Sanders discusses whether trial subpoena is a distraction.

Shilo Sanders filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in a bid to obtain out of the debt after Darjean moved to collect on it in 2023. The matter at trial now is whether Sanders is allowed to discharge that debt under the law. Darjean wants what he's owed and notes the debt should not be discharged as it stems from a "willful and malicious injury, " which is a specific exception from discharging debt under the bankruptcy code. In his defense, Shilo Sanders' attorneys say he acted in self-defense and should be entitled to a discharge.

Darjean's attorney issued a subpoena requiring Deion Sanders to testify at the trial. It starts Aug. 31 and could last until Sept. 4. That conflicts with Colorado's season opener at Georgia Tech Sept. 3. The team leaves for the game on Sept. 1.

"Is that a distraction?" Sanders remarked when asked Monday concerning the subpoena. "Dude, you think that's my first subpoena? When you have it, when you him, when you that, you obtain sued, like. You have off-the-field foolishness that if someone really sat down and explained it to you, you would say, 'You obtained to be kidding.' But it is what it is. I don't know anyone that's a game changer, a way maker, that is not dealing with some type of lawsuit."

Sanders' attorney in Denver, Harvey Steinberg, has moved to quash the subpoena. But it's up to the judge in the case, Michael Romero, whether Sanders testifies and under what conditions. He could decide on that afterwards this week. Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: [email protected]. Share your feedback to support improve our site!

For now, deion Sanders says Shilo already won his case. The record says otherwise remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.