The former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge has been ordered to pay £22,400 to a man who found his lost dog.
The footballer said his pomeranian, named Lucci, was stolen from a house in Los Angeles in 2019, and he offered a reward for its safe return.
Foster Washington, a rapper known as Killa Fame, shared pictures on social media and helped reunite Sturridge with his pet but said he was not paid.
A Los Angeles court has now ordered Sturridge to pay Washington $30,000. Court documents show a default judgment was given, meaning Sturridge did not respond to the complaint.
Washington said he felt “let down” by Sturridge. “Hopefully he pays up and doesn’t try to appeal it,” he said.
“I’m excited about it, I’ve been fighting this case for over a year, I can’t believe it’s over. When we found the dog, I thought my life was going to be better.”
Washington added he had yet to arrange the payment with Sturridge.
Sturridge, 32, said he was “grateful” Lucci was back with his family and claimed he had paid a reward to a “young boy who found my dog”.
Writing on Twitter on Saturday, he said: “On Christmas Day to have to relive the events of a robbery is shameful. Other people are trying to benefit for their own personal gain. Thank you to the young boy once again. This was 2 1/2 years ago and a crazy 24hrs. I’m very grateful lucci is back with our family. Love to all.”
In July 2019, Sturridge, who now plays for Perth Glory in Australia’s A-League, said thieves had broken into a house in west Hollywood, California, and taken a number of bags in addition to his dog.
He posted a video showing a broken glass door at the property and said: “Somebody’s broke into the house in LA, took my dog from the house. Listen, whoever knows who broke into my crib, I’ll pay you anything. I’m dead serious.
“I wanna know what’s went on. I wanna know why they’ve took my dog. I wanna know why they’ve took bags from upstairs.
“How can you break into a house in LA and take somebody’s dog? Are you crazy? You’ve come into a house to take a dog?
“Yo, somebody please find my dog. I’ll pay anything, I’m dead serious. I want my dog back man.”
In a separate post, he offered “20, 30 grand”, although it was not clear if he meant dollars or pounds.