A Canadian mansion went from blockchains to blocks, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wants out.
The Thunder star recently purchased a six-bedroom, eight-bathroom luxury home on Lake Ontario for about $6.1 million without allegedly knowing about its past owner and the people the past owner infuriated.
According to a lawsuit reviewed by The New York Times, the new home of Gilgeous-Alexander previously had belonged to Aiden Pleterski, a self-described crypto king who made enemies and declared bankruptcy last year.
Pleterski, who allegedly received millions of dollars entrusted to him to invest and spent lavishly on cars and vacations, had rented the home and received frequent angry visitors.
Investors wanted their money back from Pleterski, who even was kidnapped last year and held for ransom, according to court documents seen by the Times.
None of this was known to Gilgeous-Alexander, according to a holding company owned by the Ontario native.
SGA and his girlfriend moved into the home in May and met a menacing visitor seeking Pleterski.
The Times reported that the couple left the next day and have not returned.
According to CBC, Gilgeous-Alexander’s girlfriend called the police and learned about the history of the home — and threats against it, including one threatening to burn the house down.
Gilgeous-Alexanders’ lawyers filed a lawsuit trying to void the sale, claiming the sellers did not disclose that angry visitors were frequently coming by the property looking for Pleterski.
“The defendants knew that if the history of threatening visits to the property, and ongoing risk of same, was disclosed, then no reasonable person looking at properties of that type, quality, and price would purchase it,” the statement of claim reads,?per CBC.?
A lawyer for the sellers denied to CBC that there was any misrepresentation but declined to comment further.?
Gilgeous-Alexander, an All-Star guard averaging 28.8 points per game this season, has not commented on the issue.