Sauce Gardner Faces Defamation Lawsuit in New Jersey

New York Jets cornerback Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner is facing a defamation lawsuit filed by Kalli Mariakis, a 42-year-old mother from Mississippi, after he falsely alleged on social media that she had an OnlyFans account. The incident occurred during an exchange on X, where Mariakis jokingly commented on Gardner's post about a golf simulator, prompting Gardner's insinuation that she had sent him a link to an OnlyFans profile. Mariakis claims Gardner's statement was 'knowingly false and malicious', leading to harassment and damage to her reputation. The lawsuit, filed in New Jersey Superior Court on December 31, 2024, also names Barstool Sports for amplifying the claims in a published article. Gardner's post reportedly reached over 9.5 million viewers before it was deleted. Mariakis is seeking compensatory and punitive damages for the distress caused by the incident.