Claiming that the promoters failed to disclose Manny's shoulder injury before the battle, two plaintiffs ask for $5 million in damages.
- May 6, 2015
AceShowbiz - Manny Pacquiao is hit with $5 million-plus consumer fraud lawsuit filed by two watchers of May 2 fight between the Filipino boxer against Floyd Mayweather, Jr. The plaintiffs also name the event's promoters that included Top Rank, the boxer's adviser Michael Koncz, promoter Robert Arum and Todd Duboef in the suit.
The plaintiffs, Stephane Vanel and Kami Rahbaran, filed the lawsuit on Tuesday, May 5 in U.S. District Court in Nevada. In the lawsuit, they claim that the defendants didn't disclose shoulder injury suffered by the boxer in a pre-fight questionnaire on May 1.
"Upon information and belief Pacquiao and other(s) assisting him checked 'No' on the NAC (Nevada Athletic Commission) questionnaire, which asked if he had a shoulder injury," so the suit reads. It is also mentioned in the lawsuit that "all members of the class relied upon the misrepresentations and the non-disclosures in purchasing tickets; purchasing pay per view showings; and in making wagers on the event."
Vanel and Rahbaran now are seeking for $5 million in the name of "potentially hundreds of thousands of ticket purchasers; pay per view purchasers and persons who wagered on the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight... which were victimized by Defendants' failure to disclose and to cover up the injuries of Defendant Pacquiao."
Nevada authorities are now investigating the case. It is said that Pacquiao has been scheduled to have shoulder surgery some time this week to decide whether the claim is valid or not. If the claim is proven to be true, the defendants can be hit with perjury charges or other legal issues.
"Disclosure is a big thing for us, and honesty," Cisco Aguilar, the NAC chairman, said of the claim. "The commission at some point will have to discuss (Pacquiao's medical questionnaire). I've got to run through the process with the (Nevada) Attorney General (Adam Laxalt). But they do sign that document under the penalty of perjury."
