Shaquille O'Neal Faces Harassment Lawsuit From Ex-Girlfriend

Gloria Allred announced today that Shaquille O'Neal's former girlfriend, model Vanessa Lopez will be filing a lawsuit against the NBA star for harassment.

The suit will be filed in Orlando, Florida, and Allred says it concerns a "pattern of harassment" that Lopez had to endure after ending her 5 year relationship with O'Neal. Allred claims Lopez has known O'Neal since she was 14 years old, and that the two began their affair in 2004 after he approached her at a nightclub.

Lopez knew O'Neal was married, but claims he told her that he was in an open marriage, stating, "I do what I want and [my wife] does what she wants." Lopez agreed to go out with O'Neal, and though he was "relentless" in his pursuit of her from the beginning, they were able to make it work all these years. O'Neal told Lopez that he wanted to have a child with her, and he even discussed buying her a condo and an expensive car, which she declined.

Allred stated that the two spent a lot of time together this past summer, and in September of 2009 Lopez notified O'Neal that she was late with her period, and possibly pregnant. Despite the fact that the two had unprotected sex on numerous occasions, O'Neal told her that there was no way the baby was his, which deeply hurt Lopez, as she had apparently been honest and faithful with him throughout their relationship. Lopez then broke up with the NBA star, who didn't take the news well, as he told her he wouldn't leave her alone. When he called her repeatedly, Lopez threatened to spill the details to O'Neal's wife Shaunie, at which point he began to threaten her.

Allred claims that O'Neal requested an associate to "shut that b*tch up," and Lopez briefly spoke to the room full of reporters, saying, "I fear that someone is after me ... I want this to be over, I want to feel safe again." When asked why she wouldn't take any questions, Allred responded, "I think that the case will speak for itself."