Did Firing Sherrone Moore Actually Save Michigan Money?

When Sherrone Moore was dismissed “for cause,” University of Michigan avoided paying a hefty $13.9 million buyout. Sounds like a win, right? Not quite. The university has now wrapped up a sweeping six-month investigation—and the final cost is enough to make any athletic director wince: $11.5 million in legal fees alone.

A Costly Deep Dive Into the Program

The investigation began on November 13, 2025, when Michigan hired Jenner & Block to examine allegations involving Moore and his executive assistant, Paige Shiver. By December 10, Moore was out of a job after Shiver came forward, prompting a full-scale institutional review.

This wasn’t your typical HR inquiry. Investigators combed through years of emails, messages, and internal records while interviewing dozens of athletic department staff. The goal? Figure out how a four-year relationship became an “open secret” without triggering action—and whether the department’s culture quietly allowed it to continue.

Bills That Kept Climbing

As the scope widened, so did the costs. By February alone, legal fees had already crossed $3.3 million. March added another $2 million. By the time April rolled around, the total had surged past $11.5 million.

At that point, Michigan’s accounting office probably felt like it was watching a scoreboard run up—with no mercy rule in sight. Investigations like this don’t come cheap, especially when they expand from one individual’s conduct to a broader cultural audit.

University spokesperson Paul Corliss emphasized the complexity, noting that both Moore’s actions and the department’s internal environment required careful, independent review.

Allegations and Legal Fallout

The case took a more serious turn when Shiver publicly described her relationship with Moore as controlling and widely known within the department. Her claims raised deeper concerns about oversight and accountability.

Moore’s actions after his firing only intensified the situation. Within hours of his dismissal, he was arrested following an incident at Shiver’s residence. By March, he entered a no-contest plea to misdemeanor charges. In April, he received 18 months of probation, avoiding jail time but adding another chapter to an already turbulent story.

Not Michigan’s First Expensive Lesson

Unfortunately, Michigan isn’t alone when it comes to costly investigations. Penn State University spent around $8 million on its report related to the Jerry Sandusky scandal, plus tens of millions more in legal costs. Meanwhile, Michigan State University paid roughly $19 million investigating the Larry Nassar case, with total expenses eventually soaring past $500 million.

Compared to those figures, Michigan’s $11.5 million might seem smaller—but it’s still a massive price for a situation that many insiders reportedly knew about.

For now, the investigation is officially closed, but the story isn’t over. Regent Paul Brown has called the probe “very thorough,” and a formal update is expected at the May 21 Board of Regents meeting. That’s when key decisions could follow—including whether athletic director Warde Manuel faces any fallout.

In the end, Michigan avoided a buyout—but learned the hard way that scandals don’t come with a discount. And if nothing else, this episode proves one thing: sometimes the real cost isn’t on the field—it’s buried deep in the paperwork.

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