Boxing icon Floyd Mayweather Jr. is facing a lawsuit from his former landlords at the Baccarat Hotel & Residences in New York City, who allege he owes over $500,000 in unpaid rent and damages. The suit claims Mayweather leased the luxury apartment, then Midtown's most expensive rental at $100,000 per month, in late 2024 under an accelerated one-day approval process.
Mayweather, who has amassed over $1.1 billion in career earnings, reportedly signed the lease just before Christmas 2024 with the condition that he needed to move in that same evening. The apartment, known as the Gemstone Terrace, is a 4,178-square-foot, five-bedroom unit with a private pickleball court on its terrace.
According to the lawsuit filed in New York State Supreme Court by owners David and Leila Centner, through their LLCs, Mayweather's rent payments were consistent for the first six months, from December through June. However, the landlords allege that rent payments ceased thereafter, constituting a breach of contract.
Mayweather's former investment advisor, Jona Rechnitz, who has previously faced legal issues including pleading guilty in a 2016 bribery scandal, reportedly played a key role in negotiating the rental deal. Brokers involved in the transaction stated that Rechnitz spearheaded the search and pushed for the same-day move-in, using creative strategies to expedite the approval process. Mayweather himself allegedly expressed interest in purchasing the unit and an adjacent one.
While Mayweather moved out of the apartment as agreed, the landlords claim he failed to pay the full amount owed. The summons with notice filed in January asserts that Mayweather signed a settlement agreement acknowledging $515,834.25 in unpaid rent and damages, agreeing to pay the sum and vacate by December 2, 2026. The landlords allege that despite one $100,000 payment, the full amount remains outstanding. The lawsuit seeks $337,736.13, which accounts for the total owed minus the security deposit and the single payment made.
Mayweather is also reportedly facing a $7.27 million IRS lien for unpaid federal taxes from 2018 and 2023. In May, he sued his former investment advisor, Rechnitz, and others for $175 million, alleging fraud, theft, and mismanagement of assets. Rechnitz's lawyer has denied these allegations, citing Mayweather's alleged gambling issues, spending habits, and outstanding debts.
The Baccarat apartment has since been re-rented to a new tenant for $140,000 per month and is reportedly under contract to be sold.