Tennessee Titans wide receiver Julio Jones and his former Atlanta Falcons teammate, Roddy White, are being sued over an alleged scheme to sell weed on the black market.
Genetixs, a cannabis business, has filed a lawsuit in Calfornia on July 21 against a plethora of defendants, and Jones and White were among the names listed – along with White’s company, SLW Holdings. White’s company is one of the five businesses that comprise Genetixs.
The company claims that the two players started an “illegal, black-market operation” out of their facilities, according to MarketWatch, and failed to report any such sales. The operation reportedly sold around $3 million per month of cannabis products.
“The scope of said defendants’ theft, black-market sales, money laundering and diversion of assets and expenses without documentation or approval is staggering and has caused, and is causing, Genetixs substantial and irreparable harm and damage,” the lawsuit states.
The two former Falcons invested in the business through White’s investment company. They have been accused of colluding with John and Shaun Van Beek to run the black-market operation.
John was the on-site manager and operator of Genetixs’ facilities. He’s accused of breach of contract, the failure to report cannabis sales, and not providing budgets, invoices, expenditures, and other paperwork to the company, according to the lawsuit.
The two brothers also allegedly disabled cameras in the building, and at one point prevented a new manager from entering. They also “looted, removed and misappropriated Genetixs’ cannabis” and damaged numerous amounts of property that eclipsed millions in damages. After a state inspection found numerous violations in the facility, John was fired from his job.
White and Jones’ attorney has called these claims “conspiracy theories” and will attest to his clients’ innocence.
“The vague allegations against SLW Holdings LLC and its members Roddy White and Julio Jones are meritless,” attorney Rafe Emanuel told the Tennessean. “In May, SLW obtained a temporary restraining order in a related civil case to prevent unlawful conduct involving Genetixs LLC. In reply, the defendants argued conspiracy theories that were not proven by evidence in court, nor were they substantiated before any agency.”
Jones and White played together for five seasons with the Falcons from 2011-15. White retired from the NFL officially in 2017, finishing his career with a total of 808 catches for 10,863 yards and 63 touchdowns. Jones was traded to the Titans for a second-round pick this offseason, and leaves the Falcons as the all-time leader in catches and receiving yards, with 848 receptions and 12,896 yards.