Ryan Braun cheated the game of baseball, cheated throughout his academic career, and cheated on all his girlfriends, if the words of a former close friend are to be believed.
We mentioned last week that Braun’s longtime friend Ralph Sasson is suing the Milwaukee Brewers outfielder for defamation. Sasson alleges in his lawsuit that he was asked by Braun’s agent to assist in providing background information regarding urine sample collector Dino Laurenzi Jr. following Braun’s positive drug test in 2011. Sasson says the information he dug up — including the part about Laurenzi Jr. failing to follow proper collection protocol — helped Braun win his appeal with MLB.
Sasson, who is a law student, says he was supposed to be paid $5,000 for helping Braun win the case, but he was not paid the money. He alleges that he and Braun had a falling out over the money he was owed, and that he was only paid by Braun’s agent after threatening to sue for breach of contract. Sasson says Braun then defamed him to many of their common friends, which is why he’s suing. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has a full copy of the complaint at their site.
The really juicy stuff does not come from the defamation complaint, but in Sasson’s request for admissions (PDF link).
In a request for admissions filed with the court, Sasson submitted 48 items that he wants Braun to address under oath. Many of the items seem to be secrets that only someone like Sasson would know about Braun and, by filing them publicly, he is forcing Braun to publicly confront issues he would most likely rather keep quiet. Sasson, in essence, is really putting the screws to the former MVP and using the request for admissions to pressure Braun into a possible settlement.
Among other items, Sasson wants Braun to admit that he:
- – Clung to Sasson’s broken chain of custody argument for the arbitration case
– “Repeatedly engaged in academic misconduct throughout high school and college”
– Has used steroids since college
– “Engaged in infidelities in every amorous relationship” he’s been in, including his current one with fiancee Larisa Fraser
– Violated NCAA rules by accepting “substantial” cash and check payments
– Lied under oath
– Committed perjury during his arbitration hearing with MLB
– Lied to the co-owner of his restaurants, Omar Shaikh
– Lied to Aaron Rodgers to preserve their business/restaurant partnership
– Lied to Brewers owner Mark Attanassio and was signed to a $105 million deal under false pretenses
Sasson spares nothing in his request for admissions, which is essentially as deep of a personal attack on Braun as possible.
Braun got engaged to Fraser last year, and we do not believe they have married. Braun has already been caught lying multiple times regarding his positive drug test, so his credibility has deteriorated and few would believe him if he refuted Sasson’s charges.
Below is a photo of Braun and Fraser:
@8TwelveMVP charity event with @Clstatza and this handsome man. pic.twitter.com/TCXlqHcjJ9
— Larisa Fraser (@modeleats) May 23, 2013
Polas. Just love them. #elite #la pic.twitter.com/moT0Ga1tBQ
— Larisa Fraser (@modeleats) May 16, 2013
