Floyd Mayweather accused of fraud over alleged fake FaceTime calls with Elon Musk

A Miami lawsuit filed this week accuses retired boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. and his real estate partner Jona Rechnitz of fraud after an entrepreneur says they sold him promised FaceTime and video access to Tesla and X chief executive Elon Musk that never occurred.

The complaint, filed by tequila businessman Jayson Winer, alleges Mayweather boasted of a personal connection to Musk and offered to arrange online meetings for as much as $4 million. Winer says he initially declined that offer but later agreed to a $1 million arrangement in which Mayweather would text Musk to arrange a call. According to the court papers, Winer alleges Mayweather never contacted Musk and that a screenshot provided as proof of communication was fake and fraudulent.

The filing further alleges that Winer and representatives for Mayweather negotiated a subsequent deal for a video call in exchange for two designer watches valued at more than $160,000 and an additional payment, the lawsuit says. Winer is seeking a jury trial and is pursuing claims of fraud in the Miami courts.

Mayweather, a five-division world champion and one of boxing's most prominent figures of the past two decades, has not been criminally charged in the matter; the complaint represents a civil claim that must be resolved through the courts. The court papers identify Jona Rechnitz as a real estate partner who, according to the complaint, participated in the negotiations.

The allegations in the complaint have not been proven in court. The lawsuit does not include a statement from Musk, and the court filing does not allege that Musk was aware of or participated in any scheme. The complaint centers on Winer's claim that he paid for promised access that he never received and that he was provided fabricated evidence to suggest the arrangements had been made.

Civil litigation alleging sold access or misrepresentation can result in monetary damages or other remedies if a jury or judge finds the defendant liable. The case will proceed through Miami's federal or state court system according to the filing; no trial date was disclosed in the documents made public with the complaint.

The filing adds to a series of legal and commercial disputes involving high-profile athletes and celebrities who monetize personal connections and appearances. As with all civil allegations, the matters raised in Winer's complaint remain allegations until adjudicated or otherwise resolved in court.