Antonio Brown’s financial troubles took a bizarre turn this week when the former NFL wide receiver claimed to be living the life of the idle rich despite filing for bankruptcy six months earlier.
“I just enjoy the freedom that comes with having money,” Brown told rapper and podcaster Yung Miami during the latest episode of her show: Caresha please.
The comment will not come as a surprise to many. After all, he reportedly earned $80 million over a dozen NFL seasons ending in January 2022.
But after declaring bankruptcy in May, Brown’s claim that he “had money” seems ill-advised in light of his ongoing Chapter 11 proceedings.
“For example, someone could use the deposition as a reason to take their deposition, or perhaps ask about it in a deposition,” Robert Lawless, an Illinois law professor and bankruptcy expert, told DailyMail.com by email. ‘In the background of many bankruptcy court proceedings looms the idea that the debtor is acting in good faith. Such a statement doesn’t help.’
Brown says he likes “having money,” despite filing for bankruptcy in May
‘Sir. Brown merely confirms what all creditors already believe to be true, namely that he filed a false bankruptcy claim when he was never actually bankrupt,” attorney Mason Wolfe told DailyMail.com in an email.
Wolfe represents Ryan Kane, one of the plaintiffs involved in the ongoing bankruptcy proceedings hoping to be repaid by Brown.
It was only six months ago that Brown admitted he owed between $1 million and $10 million while claiming less than $50,000 in assets, according to documents obtained by DailyMail.com. A Albany Times-Union report claimed at the time that Brown owed $3 million to eight creditors, not to mention several other costly court judgments.
For example, a Florida truck driver who was allegedly assaulted by Brown was awarded a $1.2 million judgment. Meanwhile, Wolfe’s client was awarded $225,370.10 after suing Brown for selling what turned out to be a fake Richard Mille watch.
Then there was his extraordinary tenure as owner of an arena team, the Albany Empire, which ended when the National Arena League terminated the franchise agreement and Brown failed to pay fees and fines.
At one point in the saga, his then-representatives told reporters that the team was actually controlled by a trust, Antonio El-Allah Express Trust Enterprise, which has since resurfaced in his ongoing bankruptcy proceedings.
One of Brown’s Florida properties, in Odessa, is valued at $3.8 million on Zillow. Brown moved the house into a trust he manages in 2023 for just $10
According to disclosures made to DailyMail.com by Kane’s attorney and confirmed by Brown’s, the 36-year-old former NFL star moved two of his Florida properties to the Antonio El-Allah Express Trust Enterprise in 2023 for a sum of $ 10 each.
One of the Florida properties, in Odessa, is valued at $3.8 million on Zillow, while a home in Tampa is estimated to be worth $2.1 million.
Brown was accused in Kane’s lawsuit in Broward County, Florida of using the trust to protect property from collectors.
“Defendant did not list any real estate, and when asked, “Have you given, sold, loaned, or transferred any real estate or personal property worth more than $100 to anyone in the past year,” he responded, “N/A” , it says in the file.
“It is a matter of public record that approximately ten months prior to his trial in this case, the defendant transferred his two properties to a trust owned by him. It is clear and undeniable that Defendant fraudulently transferred two of his properties, one of which is valued at up to $9,000,000.00 (where he currently resides), into his personal trust in an attempt to escape collection .’
A Tampa home owned by Antonio Brown is estimated to be worth $2.1 million (pictured). Brown moved the house into a trust he manages in 2023 for just $10
Brown shows off some jewelry in Atlanta in 2023 before moving his homes into a trust
Brown provided only one bank statement in that lawsuit, which showed a balance of $3.91, but nevertheless wrote on social media about placing a $1,500 Super Bowl bet.
“This bet must have left a bank account, but according to defendant, he only had $3.91 in his account just a month earlier,” the filing said.
In response to an email from DailyMail.com, Brown’s current attorney, Joe Grant, said he was unaware of his client’s claim that he was wealthy on Yung Miami’s podcast. Grant added that while he had no further comment, “we are working with all creditors to confirm a Chapter 11 plan.”
When given the opportunity to dispute Grant’s claim, Wolfe instead agreed with his counterpart.
Another attorney for Kane, Joel Aresty, told DailyMail.com that “actual payment is promised but is undetermined at this time.”
DailyMail.com has also contacted other creditors and debt collectors named in Brown’s ongoing bankruptcy.