A sports agent said he plans on counter-suing a Madison County attorney who accused him of using investment money for personal expenditures.
Michael R. Bilbrey, who operates Law Offices of Michael R. Bilbrey in Edwardsville, filed a three-count complaint on Nov. 14, 2014, against sports agent Reginald Blackwell.
Bilbrey claims Blackwell approached him, promising to provide sports agent services to professional athletes.
“The plaintiff contributed substantial liquid capital to the LLC's bank account to fund the activities required in furtherance of the stated purpose of the LLC," the suit states. "The plaintiff's willingness to contribute the aforementioned capital was based entirely on defendant's statements regarding the number and identity of clients and the projected income from those purported clients."
Bilbrey claims that after investing in Blackwell’s company, he allegedly learned that Blackwell was not a certified agent. He claims the defendant lost his certification and was not able to represent the athletes as he promised, the complaint states.
Bilbrey alleges that Blackwell used his money for his own personal expenditures.
However, Blackwell said in a statement to the Record that he voluntarily chose not to renew his certification with the NFLPA, and didn’t actually lose it.
He also stated that Bilbrey traveled and attended recruiting trips. He added that Bilbrey attended games and met with a client personally, according to Blackwell's statement.
Blackwell argues that because Bilbrey is an attorney, it would be “extremely difficult to pull off” Bilbrey’s allegations.
Blackwell said he plans on filing a countersuit against Bilbrey.
On Aug. 1, a notice of filing of foreign judgment was entered on the record in Bilbrey's complaint. A foreign judgment was filed with the St. Louis County Circuit Court on July 27. No other details were provided in the notice.
Bilbrey filed a motion for default judgment on April 15 through attorney Mark Goldenberg of Goldenberg Heller Antognoli & Rowland in Edwardsville, arguing that the defendant was served with summons on Nov. 29, 2014, but failed to file a pleading.
Circuit Judge William Mudge granted the plaintiff’s motion for default judgment in a May 28 order. He awarded the plaintiff $325,963 in damages, $65,000 in legal fees and $219 in costs.
Madison County Circuit Court case number 14-L-1559