NFL legend Emmitt Smith and business partners are sued by Cherokee group over alleged $2.5m solar energy scam

Dallas Cowboys legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith is among several defendants accused of running a $2.5 million solar-energy scam on a Cherokee-owned LLC, according to a lawsuit filed Monday in Delaware's Chancery Court.

Kituwah LLC, a North Carolina investment and economic development entity owned by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, has filed suit against Smith, his business partner David Mosley, their real estate company 4 13 Solutions, and other entities over the alleged plot.

The plaintiffs claim to have staked a $2.5 million loan for a planned solar project but have 'not recovered a penny' from the investment. That loan, according to Monday's filing, is now two years past due.

The Daily Mail has sought comment from Smith's attorney and 4 13 Solutions.

'4 13 Solutions' ploy began on or around early 2023, when one of Kituwah's former business partners introduced it to Smith and Mosley in connection with a potential investment opportunity,' read the filing. 'Smith and Mosley told Kituwah that their real estate commercial company, 4 13 Solutions, was looking for a co-investor in a solar farm project in Texas.'

The project was aimed to be operational by 2024 thanks to 'permanent financing' provided by the Department of Energy, 4 13 Solutions told Kituwah LLC reps, according to the filing.

But according to the plaintiffs' attorneys, this was all a 'steady stream of lies.'

Kituwah LLC now claims it provided the loan based on 'false projections and data,' which gave the appearance of interest from other potential investors. The repayment would come 'in a matter of months,' 4 13 Solutions initially claimed, according to the filing.

However, Kituwah 'has not seen any evidence that Project Exodus has made any meaningful progress towards completion,' according to the lawsuit, which claims the money was earmarked to pay a holding company that is also named as a defendant in the case.

The defendants are accused of fraudulent inducement, breach of fiduciary duty, and breach of contract, among other alleged misdeeds.

Kituwah LLC is seeking its original $2.5 million and $600,000 in interest as well as other costs.

Smith, 57, is considered to be among the greatest Cowboys players ever, as well as one of the best running backs in football history. The University of Florida product won three Super Bowls with Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin in the 1990s before moving on to a business career following his 2005 retirement.