For the second time since April 2025, Mercedes-Benz has accused Shilo Sanders of not keeping up with payments on his $135,000 car and has asked a federal bankruptcy court to allow the company to repossess it.
The financial services arm of Mercedes-Benz made the request June 2, claiming the son of Colorado football coach Deion Sanders is in default of his monthly payments by $9,170, which includes past due amounts from February through May of 2026.
This is for the same car that led to a similar claim by Mercedes-Benz in April 2025, which was resolved through payment without the car being repossessed, according to court records obtained by USA TODAY Sports.
The filing by Mercedes-Benz adds to Sanders’ legal troubles shortly after a separate lawsuit was dropped by a law firm that also accused him of unpaid bills.
How does this relate to Shilo Sanders’ bankruptcy?
Shilo Sanders, a former Colorado football player, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in October 2023 with more than $11 million in debt, most of it owed to John Darjean, a former security guard at his school in Dallas. Darjean sued Sanders in 2016, accusing him of assaulting him and severely injuring him when he tried confiscate his phone at school in 2015.
The case didn’t go to trial until 2022, when Darjean won a default judgment against Sanders of $11.89 million after Shilo didn’t show up for it.
Then when Darjean tried to collect on the judgment, Shilo Sanders filed for bankruptcy, which stopped debt collection efforts against him under an automatic stay issued by the court.
This time Mercedes-Benz is once again asking the court for relief form the stay to pursue Shilo’s car.
“The motor vehicle is depreciating in value, the contract is in default and the movant (Mercedes-Benz) is being prevented by the automatic stay from exercising its remedies to repossess and liquidate its collateral, the motor vehicle,” the company’s attorney stated in court filings June 2. “Specifically, the account is in default $9,169.56.”
The company noted Sanders “lacks equity” in the 2023 car because the outstanding balance is $72,155 while the value of the car is estimated at $75,900.
Shilo Sanders still hoping to discharge his large debt
A message seeking comment from Sanders’ attorney wasn’t returned.
By filing for bankruptcy, Shilo Sanders is hoping to discharge his debt to get a “fresh start,” according to his attorneys. But Darjean is fighting to collect all he’s owed, with a trial scheduled for Aug. 31. Shilo Sanders, 26, has disputed Darjean’s version of events and said he acted in self-defense.
Sanders finished his college football career as a graduate student in 2024 and was waived by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year after he went undrafted by NFL teams in April 2025.
Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mercedes-Benz again asks to repossess car of Deion Sanders’ son Shilo