A US appellate court has upheld the ruling of a lower court ordering a former World Champion Floyd Mayweather Jr., to pay a Nigerian company, Zinni Media Concept Limited the sum of N4.2 billion in damages over breach of contract and fraud.
The CEO of Zinni Media Ltd, Prince Donatus Okonkwo, owns the popular eatery in Nigeria, Tetrazzini Group.
A statement signed by the company’s media executive, Alex Nwankwo says the appellate court found merit in the ruling of a lower court which found Mayweather guilty of breach of contract agreement, expressing satisfaction of the organisation over the ruling.
The agreement with Zinni Media Concept Limited requires Mayweather to make different appearances in Africa, including Nigeria in June 2017.
He however did not fulfill a duly entered agreement but instead, terminated it without cause and refused to reimburse advance payment made by the company for the service.
The CEO Zinni Media Ltd Prince Donatus Okonkwo, had only wanted reimbursement for the company’s deposits, but Mayweather and his initial set of legal representatives implied that because the company was not based in the United States, he could not make any refund, the statement noted.
“Feeling violated and robbed, Zinni Media Ltd had no option but to seek and retain legal assistance within the USA to address the breach of contract.
“After several unsuccessful attempts to recover the appearance fees from the American boxer, the company instituted a legal action against Mayweather in 2018 where it alleged breach of contract, unjust enrichment and fraud against the former champion. We are grateful that two courts have granted a prayer by Zinni Media Ltd to impose terminating sanctions against Mayweather”, the statement added.
It could be recalled that on October 31, 2023, a lower court had ordered Mayweather to pay Zinni $1,638,542 in damages, $721,881.32 in prejudgment interest, $16,270 in sanctioned attorney fees, as well as $285 in costs.
Dissatisfied with the judgement, Mayweather however filed an appeal. On August 27, 2024, the California Court of Appeal upheld the ruling of the lower court.
The judgment was confirmed by court documents made available to journalists in Nigeria, dated Aug 27, 2024 and endorsed by Eva McClintock, Clerk of the Court of Appeals of the State of California.
The document is referenced (Second Appellate District, Case No. B334403; County Super. Ct. No. 19VECV00170). Okeke & Associates, PC., by Patrick I. Okeke, Esq., represented the Plaintiff and Appellant (Zinni), while the Defendant and Respondent (Mayweather) was represented by Eisner LLP, by Jeremiah Reynolds, Esq., and Benjamin Kassis, Esq.
The statement said despite the ruling of the court of appeal and finality on the case, Mayweather had still refused to pay the judgment money which continues to grow at 10% per annum.
In a bid to enforce the judgement, the court has gone ahead to instruct USA attorneys to target Mayweather’s 2015 Bugatti GSV or his 2015 Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta, both valued over the judgment amount, Zinni Media Ltd further stated in its release.
“We have already defeated Mayweather and his attorneys on numerous occasions during the proceedings so the enforcement of the judgement will be duly applied.
“Our forensic investigators have also uncovered a substantial number of Mayweather’s valued assets showing that he was very successful but clearly overstating his true net worth”, the statement added.
Prince Okonkwo, reacting to suggestions his lawyers could succeed in securing the Bugatti or Ferrari owned by Mayweather, said, “These are very fast cars, but no good roads to drive them in Nigeria”.
Prince Okonkwo a successful business mogul is a former Anambra governorship aspirant and currently the Honorary Counsel of the Democratic Republic of Congo to Nigeria.
