Floyd Mayweather’s growing list of legal troubles has taken a serious turn after Nevada prosecutors filed felony charges accusing the boxing icon of knowingly writing a bad check to purchase a luxury watch.
According to court records obtained by ESPN, Mayweather is facing two felony counts in Clark County: theft involving property valued at more than $100,000 and passing a check with intent to defraud. The charges stem from the purchase of a $200,000 Audemars Piguet watch from Gold and Beyond, a luxury resale boutique in Las Vegas.
Prosecutors allege that Mayweather wrote a $200,000 check from a Wells Fargo account on December 31, 2024, despite allegedly having insufficient funds available to cover the payment. The criminal complaint claims Mayweather obtained the watch while "knowing that the check would not be paid when presented."
The case first landed with the Clark County District Attorney's Office earlier this year after the retailer exhausted attempts to resolve the matter privately.
"The reason for the delay is that my guy trusted Mayweather and was trying to give him every opportunity to make good on that," attorney Marc Cook told ESPN. "And it got to the point where he wasn't getting responses and wasn't getting money for a watch that Mayweather had for well over a year."
Cook said his client hoped to avoid criminal proceedings altogether and spent months trying to collect payment before turning the matter over to prosecutors.
Mayweather's legal team has strongly disputed the allegations. In a statement provided to ESPN, attorney Adrian Lobo said her client "had absolutely no intent to defraud" the business. Lobo argued that the dispute should have been handled through civil litigation rather than criminal court.
"This matter does not belong in the criminal courts," she said. "And Mr. Mayweather looks forward to being vindicated through the court proceedings."
The development is the latest headline in what has become an increasingly turbulent year for the undefeated former champion. Over the past several months, Mayweather has been linked to a reported $7.3 million IRS tax lien, lawsuits alleging unpaid rent on a Manhattan luxury apartment, disputes involving millions of dollars in jewelry purchases, and a court order requiring more than $1 million in child support payments.
At the same time, Mayweather has aggressively pursued litigation of his own. Earlier this year, he sued Showtime Networks and former Showtime Sports executive Stephen Espinoza for $340 million over alleged misappropriated fight earnings.
That lawsuit prompted a public response from Rechnitz, who accused Mayweather of spending beyond his means and attempting to shift blame for his financial issues. Rechnitz claimed he repeatedly warned the fighter about his spending habits and alleged that Mayweather was relying on loans, jewelry-backed financing, and exhibition fights to maintain cash flow.
Now, for the first time in this string of disputes, Mayweather is facing criminal allegations rather than civil claims.
If convicted, the fraud charge alone could carry a prison sentence of up to four years under Nevada law, while the theft count carries an even steeper potential penalty.
Despite the pending case, Mayweather's plans appear unchanged. A source close to the fighter told ESPN that he is still expected to travel to Greece this month for his scheduled exhibition against kickboxing star Mike Zambidis before returning to the United States for further court proceedings.
His next court date is scheduled for September 17, ahead of his expected fall rematch with Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas.
