Antonio Brown is reportedly dealing with a lawsuit from the soccer staff he owns

NFL

The previous Patriots receiver is accused of pulling paychecks out of gamers’ and coaches’ financial institution accounts.

Antonio Brown. AP Photograph/Adam Starvation, File

Members of the Albany Empire, an area soccer staff owned by Antonio Brown, say they’re planning to sue Brown, in keeping with Mark Singelais, of the Albany Instances-Union.

Gamers and coaches are accusing Brown of pulling the paychecks from the staff’s remaining recreation out of their financial institution accounts, in keeping with the Instances-Union report.

Head coach Moe Leggett mentioned he discovered concerning the cost subject after a participant posted a screenshot of a checking account in a gaggle chat, which prompted him to examine his personal account.

“I’m annoyed,” Leggett mentioned. “I’m annoyed. I attempted to present [Brown] the advantage of the doubt. I attempted to work with him. I used to be attempting to be the peacemaker, the mediator to verify issues ran easily and just below the radar. However I can now not try this.”

The staff was kicked out of the Nationwide Enviornment League on June 15 after an emergency vote by league house owners, in keeping with the Instances-Union. The league commissioner mentioned Brown owes $21,000.

Bob Belber, who’s common supervisor of MVP area the place the Empire performed their dwelling video games, mentioned he considers the staff to be in default of their lease settlement.

“We’ve got sure damages we’re going to be demanding from the Empire possession,” Belber mentioned. “Assuming there’s a good response to that, then the whole lot might be labored out and we’ll receives a commission hopefully the damages that we’ll be owed. If it doesn’t, then we’ll see what different actions we could must take.”

Brown, a seven-time Professional Bowl who performed with the Patriots through the 2019 season, hasn’t performed within the NFL since strolling off the sphere on the finish of the 2022 season. He owns a 94 p.c stake within the Empire, in keeping with ESPN.