Ralph Sasson, a longtime friend of Ryan Braun, is suing the suspended Milwaukee Brewers outfielder for defamation, according to ESPN.
Sasson, 29, claims that he assisted in Braun’s successful appeal of a 2011 positive test for elevated levels of testosterone. According to ESPN, Sasson accuses Braun of doping while in college at the University of Miami, committing academic fraud, and accepting money.
Sasson says he was asked by Braun’s agent, Nez Balelo, to conduct background research on Braun’s urine sample collector, Dino Laurenzi Jr. The 29-year-old says he had to threaten Balelo with a lawsuit in order to get paid the $5,000 he was owed. Sasson also says that he had to sign a non-disclosure agreement in order to get paid. Sasson claims the non-disclosure agreement was violated when Braun allegedly made defamatory statements about him. Sasson also alleges that Braun wanted him to prank call ESPN reporters T.J. Quinn and Mark Fainaru-Wada, who were working on their initial report of Braun’s positive test. Sasson is seeking unspecified damages.
Court filings found by Larry Brown Sports show that the case was filed in Milwaukee County court on July 31. Braun’s attorney Howard Weitzman believes the suit will be dismissed.
Sasson, who currently lives in Milwaukee, grew up with Braun in Granada Hills, Calif. The two later attended the University of Miami. Sasson is currently studying at Taft Law School, which is an online program.
Sasson was also a plaintiff in a 2011 lawsuit brought against Absolute Technology Law Group. In the case, Sasson alleged that he was not paid overtime wages for work done for the company in Aug. 2011. He claimed he was fired when he demanded payment for overtime. At the time, Sasson stated he was unemployed, had no assets, and a bank account balance of -73.31 dollars. The case was dismissed after the parties reached a settlement.
Sasson declined comment to LBS when reached via email.
