O’neal’s Alleged Mistress Claims Pregnancy Scare Sparked Harassment

The woman alleging she is SHAQUILLE O’NEAL’s former lover has accused the star athlete and his family of harassing her following a pregnancy scare in a new lawsuit filed against him.

Vanessa Lopez claims she had an “intimate” five-year affair with the Cleveland Cavaliers basketball player while he was married to his now-estranged wife Shaunie Nelson, who filed for divorce last year (09).

Lopez has hired top celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred and the pair held a press conference in Los Angeles on Tuesday (12Jan10), revealing a lawsuit has been filed against O’Neal in Florida.

In a brief statement, Lopez said, “I was never afraid of Shaquille O?Neal until September 29, 2009. My life has changed so much because of what I have had to endure. I now fear someone is after me. I just want this to be over. I want to feel safe again.”

In newly filed court documents, Lopez reveals tension reached a high after she suffered a pregnancy scare in September (09). O’Neal allegedly denied paternity and the relationship dissolved.

Lopez claims O’Neal sent a text message to a friend, saying, “dis is da numba (sic) shut dat b**ch up!” and hacked into her voice mail and text messages, using sophisticated software.

Lopez also accuses O’Neal of enlisting his two sisters to make verbal and physical threats against her, and claims she was especially fearful because “O’Neal is a large, powerful, wealthy man and a professional athlete” who has law enforcement connections, reports TMZ.com.

Lopez is suing for unspecified damages.