A California-based technology company reportedly filed suit against New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson and his family for allegedly failing to pay back $1.8 million of a $2 million loan.
The tech company, Ankr PBC, made the loan in September 2021 while in the preliminary stages of a marketing relationship with Williamson, the Associated Press (AP) reported Thursday. The lawsuit was filed in late July in the United States District Court in New Orleans.
Williamson’s stepfather, Lee Anderson, represented Williamson and requested Ankr pay $150,000 up front to get started on business relationship negotiations between the tech company and his stepson, according to AP. (RELATED: Adam Silver Smelled Marijuana On Kevin Durant During Their Meeting About Substance)
Zion Williamson and family sued for $1.8 million in latest summer scandal https://t.co/Nh7Jyu7rwF pic.twitter.com/qogxDIE8vs
— New York Post (@nypost) July 27, 2023
“Anderson represented that the loan was urgently needed, as the family had taken on expensive investments including the purchase of certain real estate in New Orleans and could not meet their obligations due to the temporary suspension of payments from Williamson’s sponsorship deals resulting from an injury,” the lawsuit reads, according to the New York Post.
Anderson allegedly told Ankr “his family would suffer financial hardship, and Williamson would not enter into a business relationship with Ankr” if the tech company did not immediately approve the loan, AP reported, citing the lawsuit.
The company and Williamson entered into a forbearance agreement which stated the company would not sue provided $500,000 of the loan was paid by April 25, 2023, and the remaining balance was paid by July 6, according to the outlet.
Zion Williamson was drafted first overall in 2019 by the New Orleans Pelicans and despite limited playing time due to injury, has successfully made the NBA All-Star game twice. Williamson has found himself on the receiving end of multiple scandals including his alleged relationship with the Pelicans franchise and allegations about his private sexual relations.