25 May 2023 , 20:25
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Shaquille O'Neal has been served in a case involving collapsed cryptocurrency exchange FTX.
Legal documents were delivered to the NBA legend and TV analyst during the broadcast of the Miami Heat 's Eastern Conference playoff final against the Boston Celtics in Miami.
That's according to the plaintiffs' attorney Adam Moskowitz, who told CBS MoneyWatch that the 51-year-old "hid" from process servers for months before being tracked down at the Kaseya Center, which coincidentally used to be called the FTX Arena, on Tuesday
Forbes has previously reported that Moskowitz enlisted four different companies to hand O'Neal the complaint after numerous failed attempts.
The class-action lawsuit is understood to relate to O'Neal - alongside other celebrities - appearances in advertisements for the crypto-trading platform before its bankruptcy.
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FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried was arrested in January and charged with wire fraud, securities fraud, money laundering, and more.
Moskowitz added that the process server filmed his interactions with the NBA legend and that Shaq tried to get the person ejected from the arena.
"They gave video of most of the service (not all), so we would be shocked if they raise any problems," Moskowitz said. "We also now served a copy on his lawyer Bobby Martinez, so there can be no doubt he is served!"
Before Tuesday's successful serving of O'Neal, process servers thought they had the Hall of Famer in April. A request to dismiss was, however, filed earlier this month claiming that he never received the papers.
O'Neal's lawyers said in a court filing: "This purported 'service' is inadequate. It should be quashed, and the claims against Mr. O'Neal dismissed."
Shaquille O'Neal was one of a number of high profile sports figures who promoted FTX before its bankruptcy (Getty)A case can be delayed or dismissed if an individual does not receive the legal papers, per federal law. And a complaint must be served either in person or by mail.
Moskowitz went on to claim that a second serving of Shaq happened on Tuesday as well. A complaint alleges Shaq and his son promoted an NFT project called ASTRALS before abandoning it. "The irony here is that Shaq claimed no experience in crypto but this new class case for the NFT Astrals proves the opposition — he, his son, and his business partner, all planned to make many millions of odd dollars based solely on his involvement," Moskowitz said.
O’Neal, as well as NFL legend Tom Brady, his ex-wife Gisele Bundchen, comedian Larry David, tennis star Naomi Osaka, and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry all promoted FTX.
Mirror Sport has reached out to O'Neal's lawyer, Roberto Martinez, for comment.