A befuddling chapter of the New Orleans Saints offseason is close to conclusion, with a jury awarding quarterback Drew Brees and his wife, Brittany, $6.1 million in damages in a lawsuit against San Diego-area jeweler Vahid Moradi. Moradi plans to appeal the decision.
Brees missed several days of Saints minicamp practices this month to testify. He argued that the jeweler took advantage of a personal relationship with him (they had known each other for most of a decade) to upcharge him. Brees also claimed that Moradi passed off the various gems and jewelry as investment opportunities.
Brees and his wife first grew suspicious of the dealings when they consulted with a Houston-based jeweler, who compared the purchased assets to his own stock and suggested they had been misled. In the end, jurors split the difference between what Brees had paid and what Moradi had charged other buyers, resulting in the $6.1 million in damages.
However, this one may not be out of the woods just yet. Moradi’s attorney argued against the decision by suggesting the jeweler in Houston was not an independent expert, but rather a competitor to Moradi’s own business. The attorney also claimed that Brees knew he was buying jewelry as gifts for his wife, not assets for investing.
In other words, Moradi said he was within his rights to charge any amounts he thought were appropriate — such as $8.1 million for a diamond ring valued at $3.75 million. Moradi’s attorney said after the verdict was announced that Moradi would appeal.
This may drag on further into the summer, but with Saints training camp beginning in late July, it’s unlikely Brees will be asked to spend more time away from the practice field.
