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Ice Cube on BIG3 $1 Billion Lawsuit vs. Qatar Investors: 'We're Gonna Win'

Timothy Rapp@@TRappaRTX.com LogoFeatured ColumnistApril 17, 2018

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 12: BIG3 co-founder Ice Cube attends the BIG3 2018 Player Draft at Fox Sports Studio on April 12, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Ice Cube had a message Tuesday for the Qatari investors he's suing for over a billion dollars in damages after claiming they hadn't made the investments they promised. 

"We're gonna win. We're gonna win," he told TMZ Sports. "Stay out of American sports if you don't wanna do the right thing."

Per TMZ, Ice Cube claimed the investors agreed to pay $5 million to the league but instead "quickly started to insinuate themselves into the affairs of BIG3 despite failing to live up to even their most basic obligation to fully fund their investment."

The complaint continued:

"These members and associates of the royal family made excuse after excuse for not paying, all of which is documented in text messages and emails, where the blame for their failure to fund the millions they owed the BIG3 ran the gamut from their 'sinuses,' 'hiking,' it being a 'long day bro,' and to bad press regarding Qatar associations with alleged funding of terrorism.

"Also, like a simple debtor in hiding from a collection agency, these Defendants with their purported links to the Qatar royal family, would go into hiding and refused to return phone calls and ignore Plaintiffs."

The investors being sued are Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Thani (CEO of the Qatari Investment Authority), Ahmed Al-Rumaihi and Ayman Sabi. TMZ added on Tuesday that Akbar Al Baker, the CEO of Qatar Airways, was also being added to the lawsuit.

Ice Cube also claimed that Al-Rumaihi threatened fellow BIG3 co-founder Jeff Kwatinetz after he sought the promised payments.

"You don't know who I know in L.A. and what they're capable of," Al-Rumaihi reportedly screamed at Kwatinetz, according to the lawsuit. "You should think of your safety and the safety of you and your family."

The BIG3, a three-on-three basketball league comprised of former NBA players, will enter its second season in June.