David Beckham is taking legal action against Mark Wahlberg over a failed partnership deal with F45 Training.
According to TMZ, Beckham’s company, DB Ventures Ltd., claims that Wahlberg’s investment group deceived Beckham into doing business with the fitness company, in which Wahlberg has a 36% interest and serves on the board of directors.
Beckham initially agreed to be a global ambassador for F45 Training after striking up a friendship with Wahlberg in Los Angeles. However, the lawsuit alleges that Beckham suffered a $10 million loss when stocks he was owed were not provided until after their value had plummeted. Beckham is also suing F45’s founders, Adam Gilchrist and Rob Deutsch.
Despite Wahlberg and his co-defendants attempting to have the lawsuit dismissed by citing “fraudulent conduct,” a judge ruled against them. The partnership between Beckham and F45 Training was announced in 2021, with the company welcoming Beckham to the family in an Instagram post that has since been deleted.
Beckham was expected to play a significant role in F45 Training’s brand marketing initiative to support its expansion. This legal dispute is not the first involving F45 Training and a high-profile athlete, as former NFL player Terrell Owens sued the company in 2017 for failing to pay him the $700,000 he was promised for a promotional video deal.
