Floyd Mayweather is treating the latest headlines like free publicity, but Nevada prosecutors are treating the allegations like a felony case.
After reports surfaced that Mayweather allegedly bounced a $200,000 check for an Audemars Piguet watch in Las Vegas, the boxing legend fired back on Instagram with a message aimed at blogs, critics, and anyone questioning his “Money” image. The charges stem from a criminal complaint in Clark County accusing him of “theft, value $100,000 or greater” and “draw or pass check with intent to defraud, value $1,200 or greater,” according to ESPN.
Mayweather did not exactly sound worried. In his statement, he wrote:
“Lies and negative news always travel faster than the truth. That’s just the way things work. Unhappy people love bad news. I love stories they think are gonna tear the strongest creature on earth down a BLACK man.”
He continued, “At the end of the day, my name staying in the media is still my name staying in the media. Attention is attention. People keep talking, people keep watching and that attention keeps generating opportunities. I’m focused on what I’ve always been focused on family, generational wealth and staying out of other people business that’s not my own. So please, keep posting. More Blogs, More Lies… Free Promotion and I gladly welcome Every Line!”
Accompanying the caption was a graphic that read, “Good press, bad press, facts or fiction… pick your poison.”
Still, this is bigger than internet chatter. Prosecutors allege Mayweather wrote the $200,000 Wells Fargo check to Gold and Beyond on December 31, 2024, after a receipt showed the watch purchase dated December 25, 2024. The complaint claims the check could not be paid in full because of “insufficient money, property, or credit.” ESPN reported that Gold and Beyond’s attorney, Marc Cook, said the store waited because his client trusted Mayweather and tried to give him time to resolve it before going to prosecutors.
Mayweather’s side is pushing back. His attorney, Adrian Lobo, told the outlet that Mayweather “had absolutely no intent to defraud” and argued, “This matter does not belong in the criminal courts.” Lobo also said Mayweather looks forward to being vindicated.
But if prosecutors prove their case, the potential penalties are serious. Under Nevada law, theft involving property valued at $100,000 or more is a category B felony punishable by one to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $15,000, and restitution. The bad-check fraud count could carry one to four years in prison, up to a $5,000 fine, and restitution if Mayweather is convicted.
For now, Mayweather has not been convicted of anything. However, laughing off the headlines does not make the court file disappear. The irony is hard to miss: a fighter who turned wealth into a brand is now battling a case built around one very expensive check.
