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Friday, March 29, 2024 | Back issues
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Cowboys’ Dez Bryant Fires Back at Former Landlord

DALLAS (CN) - Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant countersued a Texas state senator, claiming his former landlord and adviser used Bryant's celebrity to line his own pockets and those of his associates.

Bryant sued Texas Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, and former bail bondsman David Wells, according to NFL.com. The lawsuit reportedly claims Bryant had given power of attorney to Wells on the advice of West. Wells allegedly created Dez Enterprises to get marketing deals using Bryant's name and likeness without Bryant's knowledge.

"West would instruct endorsement companies and others to make payments for any endorsement agreements to Wells, not Bryant," the lawsuit alleges, according to NFL.com. "Many of these payments stopped at Wells and/or West, but never reached Bryant."

NFL.com reports the lawsuit claims Wells took over $200,000 of Bryant's money from the endorsements and that West and his law firm allegedly took $300,000.

The counterclaim has not yet been made available by the court clerk.

West first sued Bryant last month in Dallas County District Court, claiming Bryant trashed a 6,400 square foot, gated community home in DeSoto that he rented from West from September 2013 to January 2016.

West said the home was "littered with trash and feces" and "cracked windows and blackened carpeting" that required the entire home to be repainted. He also said the flooring, lighting, ceiling fans, windows, doors, the gate and garage locks had to be replaced.

On Monday, Bryant filed an answer in West's lawsuit. He said West's claims are barred "by the doctrine of unclean hands" and that any damages are "reduced by a set-off."

West's office did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Tuesday.

Bryant seeks damages for breach of fiduciary duty, negligence and fraud. He is represented by Kenneth E. Broughton with Reed Smith in Houston.

In April 2015, Bryant's former representatives with Official Brands sued his new agents with Roc Nation. Official Brands claims they helped Bryant build his "Throw up the X" brand and had an exclusive two-year contract to represent him.

Follow @davejourno
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