A US judge issued an arrest warrant for former England, Liverpool, and Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge. It stems from a disagreement over who located his stolen dog.
In July 2019, Sturridge posted an online plea for help in finding his lost Pomeranian. The 34-year-old player who lived in Los Angeles at the time quickly reunited with his dog, Lucci.
However, a fight soon developed about who was responsible for the happy ending. Killa Fame, whose real name is Foster Washington, is an American rapper who claims he located the dog. He says Sturridge never paid him the promised reward.
Washington filed a legal complaint, and a Los Angeles judge ordered Sturridge to pay him $30,000 in December 2021.
Ex-player failed to appear in court
Sturridge ignored his ordered court appearance to answer questions about money. He stayed away from the case. The former Premier League star is under no obligation to answer until he is physically present in the southern California city.
Thus, the ex-striker has an arrest warrant out for him after he skipped out on a court appearance in Los Angeles. Sturridge must appear, either voluntarily or after arrest, before a second court scheduled for Nov. 30 per The Daily Mail.
What did Sturridge say?
Sturridge has issued a statement in which he explains what happened from his perspective: “The news yesterday was the first time my family and I heard that someone is continuing to try to get money from me, following the theft of my family’s dog, Lucci, which happened 4 years ago.
“The truth is, I personally paid a reward to the young boy who found him. He was delighted with the reward, as were my family and I to get Lucci home. The person seeking payment is not due any money, I already paid the young boy who found Lucci.
“I was unaware of the court hearing even taking place. The legal paperwork was sent to the Air Bnb property which we had left within 24 hours of the burglary. Therefore, I have not had the opportunity to properly represent myself in relation to these false claims.
“With that being said, I have now instructed California lawyers to deal with matters on my behalf. I am confident that this will be resolved in my favor quickly and put an end to the speculative claim for good.”
PHOTO: IMAGO / Icon Sportswire
