Julio Jones denies accusations of fraud, money laundering
Julio Jones denies accusations of fraud and money laundering, which a lawsuit filed by a California-based company alleges.
“For me, my legal team is going to handle that,” Jones said Saturday, via Paul Kuharsky of paulkuharsky.com. “That’s not the case, but that’s just for them [the legal team] to handle that.”
Genetixs last week filed suit against Jones, his former Atlanta Falcons teammate Roddy White and others of involvement in diverting cannabis products from an otherwise legal cultivation and distribution operation to black-market sales. Jones and White originally invested in Genetixs through White’s company, SLW Holdings.
Rafe Emmanuel, Jones’ attorney, called the allegations “meritless” in a statement to The Tennessean.“ The vague allegations against SLW Holdings LLC and its members Roddy White and Julio Jones are meritless,” Emanuel said. “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.
“We look forward to again defending these conspiracy theories against my clients in court.”
According to ProFootballTalk, the lawsuit alleges Jones, White and multiple other defendants have sold $3 million per month of cannabis products on the black market since March, and that they laundered money arising from those sales.
Julio Jones: Preparing for a new start with the Tennessee Titans
As Jones prepares for a new adventure in the NFL, the lawsuit adds another layer to his adjustment to a new situation. For the first time since he was drafted out of Alabama, the wide receiver changed teams this off-season.
In June, the Falcons traded Jones to the Tennessee Titans for two draft selections. After the Falcons drafted Kyle Pitts, many believed he and Jones would form an unstoppable duo. Instead, Jones will try to do so with another former SEC playmaker, A.J. Brown.
In 2019, the Falcons made Jones the highest-paid wide receiver in the league. The former Alabama receiver signed a three year, $66 million extension with $64 million guaranteed.
Originally, the contract was a bargain. Jones finished second in the league in receiving yards with 1,394 yards, and sixth in receptions with six. Unfortunately, 2020 wasn’t as kind to Jones.
As the Falcons struggled to win games, Jones struggled to stay on the field. The wide receiver only played in nine games, a lingering hamstring injury putting a damper on his final season in Atlanta.
The Titans were looking to take their offense to the next level, and now Ryan Tannehill has some new toys. Jones and running back Derrick Henry just missed each other at Alabama, but now the two will attempt to lead the Titans to the same championship success they enjoyed in college.
Nevertheless, as Jones adjusts to Tennessee, it’s paramount he’s able to put these allegations behind him prior to the 2021 season.
Image courtesy of Todd Kirkland / Stringer via Getty Images