Former Chelsea and England striker Daniel Sturridge has been issued an arrest warrant in the United States after failing to pay a missing dog reward.
Sturridge was handed the warrant for failing to appear in a Los Angeles court over the incident.
The 34-year-old had promised a reward to anyone who could safely return his pet dog Lucci in July 2019 after it went missing from his house in LA.
Foster Washington, an American rapper known as Killa Fame, found the dog and reunited it with Sturridge but claimed to have not received a reward, which resulted in a civil lawsuit.
Sturridge was ordered to pay Washington $30,000 (£24,400) by an LA court and the Englishman was due back for a ‘debtor’s exam’ last month to answer questions on his finances – but he did not turn up – resulting in the arrest warrant.
Washington, who claims to have spent over $10,000 [£8,100] on legal fees, told MailOnline: ”For me, it’s a point of principle. He promised me the money. It’s a substantial amount of money that could change my family’s life.
”He thinks he is above the law. He thinks because he’s rich he doesn’t have to respond to what’s going on. That’s why I had to have the judge issue a warrant so he has to pay the money.”
Peoplesmind