Antonio Brown, the former NFL wide receiver who briefly owned the Albany Empire Arena Football League franchise, is facing severe financial troubles. According to federal bankruptcy court documents filed Monday in Florida, Brown owes nearly $3 million to at least eight creditors.
Among the creditors is a Florida truck driver who was awarded $1.2 million after Brown failed to appear in court for an assault lawsuit. Additionally, Brown cannot pay at least three six-figure civil judgments.
Brown filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which allows businesses and individuals to reorganize their finances while being protected from creditors. The filing does not indicate any creditors from the Capital Region, the Arena Football League, or former players from the Empire who were unpaid during Brown’s tumultuous ownership.
Brown’s turbulent tenure with the Albany Empire ended shortly after the team was expelled from the National Arena League last summer. Prior to this, players and coaches threatened to sue Brown after discovering their paychecks were withdrawn from their bank accounts.
Brown also owes hundreds of thousands of dollars in credit card debt and $296 to a South Florida plumber. He lists Avanti Solutions as a creditor owed $28,589 for work related to his appearance at the “Rolling Loud” hip-hop concert in Los Angeles, according to Fox Sports. KCB Marketing, based in Miami Shores, sued Brown in 2021 for unpaid commissions on over $2 million in earnings, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
In the bankruptcy filing, Brown claims assets of $50,000 or less. The filing does not address the complex web of trusts and organizations linked to Brown under the name Antonio El-Allah. A 2023 Times Union report highlighted conflicting statements by Brown and documents signed by El-Allah, a supposed trustee, about the ownership of the Empire.
Brown’s address in the bankruptcy filing is listed as an 18,000-square-foot, 12-bedroom, 14-bathroom mansion in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He had briefly negotiated to buy the Palazzo Riggi estate in Saratoga Springs during his ill-fated ownership of the Empire.
Brown’s bankruptcy lawyer was unavailable for immediate comment on Wednesday.
On Monday, Brown announced his bankruptcy filing in a post on X, formerly Twitter. The clip begins with a scene from “The Office” before cutting to Brown running out of a house and waving his arms in a backyard.
BREAKING NEWS #CTESPN 💸
NFL legend Antonio Brown has filed bankruptcy today
He will be a first ballot hall of famer in 2027. He will be releasing new music this summer.
He is also the founder of the most trusted source in all of sports.
The generational run continues 📈 pic.twitter.com/DWmxw13uqa
— CTESPNNetwork (@CtespnN) May 20, 2024
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