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Cowboys' Bryant faces additional $615K suit
One day after a civil lawsuit was filed against Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant saying he owed $246,000 worth of jewelry to a New York-based company, another civil lawsuit has emerged against him and his adviser David Wells.
Eleow Hunt, a Colleyville, Texas, jeweler and ticket broker, said Bryant hasn't paid for jewelry and tickets or repaid personal loans that collectively total in excess of $600,000, according to a court filing from Tarrant County.
Attached to the lawsuit are copies of receipts for jewelry that Hunt said was made for the receiver and hasn't been paid for. The items include everything from a "custom Cartier diamond watch" to a "white gold diamond dog tag set" and "custom diamond engagement ring." The receipts for more than 40 pieces of jewelry total $588,500.
Hunt also claims he loaned Wells $26,000 to cover Bryant's expenses and to provide him with spending money before he was drafted. The lawsuit says Wells repaid $15,000.
Also, the lawsuit alleges Bryant owes $15,850 in unpaid sporting event tickets. Bryant was given 10 tickets worth $5,750 for the Cowboys' 2009 regular-season finale against the Philadelphia Eagles. Bryant also got six tickets worth $3,750 for the Cowboys' playoff victory over the Eagles that same season. Cowboys games were not the only ones Bryant was given tickets for. He received four tickets to watch the Mavericks play the Cleveland Cavaliers in December 2009. The cost of the tickets totaled $2,500, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit alleges Bryant was supposed to repay Hunt when he signed either an NFL or promotional contract, whichever came first. Bryant received the items during an 11-month period starting in June 2009 when he was a junior at Oklahoma State.
"Mr. Hunt sells custom-made jewelry to athletes and entertainers," Hunt's attorney, Beth Ann Blackwood, said. "Mr. Bryant says he would pay and hasn't and it finally resulted in filing a lawsuit."
It was not immediately clear if the NCAA or Oklahoma State were aware of the lawsuit, which alleges that much of the activity occurred while Bryant was still a student at the school. He was ruled ineligible for the 2009 season at Oklahoma State for lying to investigators about having lunch with Deion Sanders.
Bryant had a run-in with an off-duty police officer last week at a Dallas-area mall over someone in his group having drooping pants.
Hunt says he's dealt with Wells in the past and the pair had a successful relationship regarding former Texas Tech wide receiver and current San Francisco 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree. Hunt said he has known Wells since the late 1990s.
The latest lawsuit was filed last year, but a motion filed last week by Bryant's attorney, Veretta Frazier, asked the court to move the lawsuit from Tarrant County to Dallas County. Blackwood responded to the motion by saying the case should remain in Tarrant County.
Frazier did not return a phone call seeking comment. Wells declined to comment, as did the Cowboys.
Over the last two days, Bryant has been accused in two civil lawsuits to have owed more than $850,000, not including damages or legal fees.
Last season with the Cowboys, Bryant made $2.84 million in base salaries and bonuses. He also received an undetermined amount from Under Armour and other income from personal appearances.
Bryant is scheduled to receive a base salary of $1.1 million this year with a $1 million roster bonus. He cannot receive the roster bonus until the NFL lockout ends. He will receive his base salary over a 17-week span starting in September.
Source: AP
Eleow Hunt, a Colleyville, Texas, jeweler and ticket broker, said Bryant hasn't paid for jewelry and tickets or repaid personal loans that collectively total in excess of $600,000, according to a court filing from Tarrant County.
Attached to the lawsuit are copies of receipts for jewelry that Hunt said was made for the receiver and hasn't been paid for. The items include everything from a "custom Cartier diamond watch" to a "white gold diamond dog tag set" and "custom diamond engagement ring." The receipts for more than 40 pieces of jewelry total $588,500.
Hunt also claims he loaned Wells $26,000 to cover Bryant's expenses and to provide him with spending money before he was drafted. The lawsuit says Wells repaid $15,000.
Also, the lawsuit alleges Bryant owes $15,850 in unpaid sporting event tickets. Bryant was given 10 tickets worth $5,750 for the Cowboys' 2009 regular-season finale against the Philadelphia Eagles. Bryant also got six tickets worth $3,750 for the Cowboys' playoff victory over the Eagles that same season. Cowboys games were not the only ones Bryant was given tickets for. He received four tickets to watch the Mavericks play the Cleveland Cavaliers in December 2009. The cost of the tickets totaled $2,500, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit alleges Bryant was supposed to repay Hunt when he signed either an NFL or promotional contract, whichever came first. Bryant received the items during an 11-month period starting in June 2009 when he was a junior at Oklahoma State.
"Mr. Hunt sells custom-made jewelry to athletes and entertainers," Hunt's attorney, Beth Ann Blackwood, said. "Mr. Bryant says he would pay and hasn't and it finally resulted in filing a lawsuit."
It was not immediately clear if the NCAA or Oklahoma State were aware of the lawsuit, which alleges that much of the activity occurred while Bryant was still a student at the school. He was ruled ineligible for the 2009 season at Oklahoma State for lying to investigators about having lunch with Deion Sanders.
Bryant had a run-in with an off-duty police officer last week at a Dallas-area mall over someone in his group having drooping pants.
Hunt says he's dealt with Wells in the past and the pair had a successful relationship regarding former Texas Tech wide receiver and current San Francisco 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree. Hunt said he has known Wells since the late 1990s.
The latest lawsuit was filed last year, but a motion filed last week by Bryant's attorney, Veretta Frazier, asked the court to move the lawsuit from Tarrant County to Dallas County. Blackwood responded to the motion by saying the case should remain in Tarrant County.
Frazier did not return a phone call seeking comment. Wells declined to comment, as did the Cowboys.
Over the last two days, Bryant has been accused in two civil lawsuits to have owed more than $850,000, not including damages or legal fees.
Last season with the Cowboys, Bryant made $2.84 million in base salaries and bonuses. He also received an undetermined amount from Under Armour and other income from personal appearances.
Bryant is scheduled to receive a base salary of $1.1 million this year with a $1 million roster bonus. He cannot receive the roster bonus until the NFL lockout ends. He will receive his base salary over a 17-week span starting in September.
Source: AP