David Beckham has filed a lawsuit against Mark Wahlberg over a partnership with F45 Training, claiming he lost $10 million in stock that was part of the deal.
F45 Training, founded in 2011, has faced legal issues in the past, with former NFL receiver Terrell Owens also suing the brand for unpaid fees.
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Retired soccer star David Beckham has filed a lawsuit against actor Mark Wahlberg over a partnership with F45 Training, a company the “Arthur the King” star/former rapper Marky Mark has a 36% interest in, the Sun reported. According to Beckham’s suit, he feels “duped” and points to $10 million lost when he wasn’t given stock that was part of the deal until the stock’s price had crashed.
Beckham agreed to become the brand’s ambassador after he befriended Wahlberg, following his family’s move to Los Angeles. It is presumed he was brought onboard due to his enormous celebrity status and massive social media following. Beckham and F45 posted a series of photos of the superstar endorsing F45, but both sides have since removed those images.
Beckham is also suing the Mark Wahlberg Investment Group (MWIG) and F45 founders Adam Gilchrist and Rob Deutsch. The group asked the judge in the case to dismiss what they described as a “fraudulent” lawsuit, but the judge ruled against them.
The partnership was announced in 2021. In a since-deleted post, F45 wrote, “Welcome to the F45 fam @davidbeckham This is just the beginning of our journey together, we hope you’re all ready for what’s to come #F45 #F45Training.” The brand also said Beckham would hold a “key role in its brand marketing initiative to support its continued expansion.”
Beckham isn’t the only person who has sued F45 over the years. In 2017, former NFL receiver Terrell Owens filed a lawsuit after he said the brand failed to pay him $700,000.
F45, which offers clients a mix of circuit and HIIT-style workouts, was founded in 2011 and opened its first studio in Sydney, Australia, the following year. Wahlberg’s stake in the brand could be worth up to $15 million. In addition to acting as an investor, Wahlberg is also on the company’s board of directors.
Beckham’s still been able to find some joy while dealing with his business life — for wife Victoria’s 50th birthday, all five Spice Girls reunited for a party performance of “Stop,” which Beckham filmed and posted on social media.
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