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Marv Dumon
International Sports Examiner
November 8, 2011
On Monday, a federal judge in South Carolina ordered Floyd Mayweather, Jr. to perform community service after the boxer skipped several depositions in a copyright infringement lawsuit. Mayweather must complete 40 hours of volunteer work with the Las Vegas Habitat for Humanity by January 31.
Judge Joseph Anderson, Jr of the U.S. District Court in Columbia wrote: "This court finds that Mayweather’s actions constitute bad faith . . . . Mayweather misrepresented to the court the nature and severity of his injuries, thereby obtaining a postponement of his deposition. He has therefore committed a fraud upon this court."
The Associated Press attempted to reach the boxer but was unavailable for comment on Tuesday. Here is more information about the case:
The boxer unlawfully used copyright music at two wrestling appearances
Mayweather dodged several court-ordered depositions, conduct which Judge Anderson described as abusing the judicial process
Judge sided with the plaintiff who alleged that the boxer, his legal and medical teams misrepresented Mayweather's reasons for postponement
Copyright infringement >
The WBC welterweight champion, his music company Philthy Rich Records, and World Wrestling Entertainment has a pending case against Orangeburg music producer Anthony Lawrence Dash. The defendant alleges that the undefeated boxer used his music at two W.W.E. events.
The case was filed in 2010 but Mayweather's legal time repeatedly sought delays citing scheduling conflicts during July and September. Mayweather's doctor, Robert Voy, sent a note to the federal judge that the fighter should not undergo "mental stress" while recovering from injuries sustained from his September 17 fight with Victor Ortiz.
The boxer's attorney, Mark Tratos, informed the court that his client was resting after the fight, and not partying. However, the plaintiff submitted video evidence of the boxer frequenting several nightclubs around the dates in which the defendant was expected to appear in court.
Burning money an illegal act >
In his ruling, Judge Anderson wrote: "The court finds that his actions in this case justify sanctions and that such sanctions are necessary to deter Mayweather or similarly situated parties from 'trampling upon the integrity of the court'." The judge also cited his "ability to fashion an appropriate sanction for conduct which abuses the judicial process."
Anderson continued: "The court also takes notice that Mayweather is a wealthy individual. Plaintiff’s counsel informed the court that Mayweather could not provide an amount when asked how much he earned from his most recent fight. At the parties in question, Mayweather can be seen burning money, allegedly one-hundred dollar bills, while in another video he throws money into the crowd."
The boxer has gone unpunished for burning currency which is considered illegal in the U.S. Such acts are a violation of Title 18, Section 333 of the United States Code which falls under the jurisdiction of the Secret Service.
According to the law, "whoever mutilates, cuts, disfigures, perforates, unites or cements together, or does any other thing to any bank bill, draft, note, or other evidence of debt issued by any national banking association, Federal Reserve Bank, or Federal Reserve System, with intent to render such item(s) unfit to be reissued, shall be fined not more than $100 or imprisoned not more than six months, or both."
Source(s): U.S. District Court of South Carolina - Columbia Division
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