Chicago native and Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade files a lawsuit against Baron Richard von Houtman, a former business partner, for making false allegations of illegal drug and steroid use in an e-mail to Heat President Pat Riley. The lawsuit accuses von Houtman of libel and slander. It was filed last May 28 and it focuses on the two e-mails that von Houtman sent to Riley. According to the lawsuit, von Houtman has accused Wade and other unnamed players of the Heat of smoking marijuana and using cocaine and steroids.

The email reads, “Your players were caught in a hotel room smoking marijuana. From Wade to [name deleted] and the rest of the NBA players. Is it just about selling tickets?” It later adds, “The Miami Heat ‘Drugs, Sex & Basketball.’” The e-mail also contends that Wade is not a nice guy as suggested by his public image and his messy divorce from estranged wife Siohvaughn Wade. “Behind closed doors, Mr. Wade is a bully and a coward,” the e-mail says.

Dwayne Wade however denies the allegations especially the drug use. Wade’s representatives had already denied claims of marijuana use and wild sex parties made by von Houtman in a separate lawsuit against the NBA star over their failed restaurant venture. Aside from the libel and slander lawsuits, there were also the back-and-forth lawsuits over a failed business venture. Wade and his former business partners blamed each other over the failure and lack of promotion of their restaurant business. Last May 15, von Houtman’s attorney in the restaurant lawsuit filed an emergency motion because his client is not available for deposition. Von Houtman needed to fly to Great Britain to visit his sick mother.

Wade also denies the content of von Houtman’s e-mail to Riley. In Wade’s lawsuit, it says that what von Houtman has done was “discrediting and harming” to Wade’s personal and business reputation. The lawsuit also said that an e-mail dated Oct. 29, 2008, signed by Baron Richard von Houtman, is a clear attempt to get Riley to use his influence to reach a settlement of the restaurant dispute. “I have been approached by numerous newspapers, magazines and media regarding the lawsuit, but have chosen to say nothing at this stage,” the e-mail says. “I would like to have a sit down meeting to hopefully reach a solution to this problem.”

It is also stated in the lawsuit that Riley however declined to meet with von Houtman and never answered his email. Von Houtman, with an address from Fort Lauderdale is not available for comment and can’t be reached on e-mail or telephone. His attorney also did not respond to telephone messages.

Wade, a 6-foot-4 guard, was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2006 NBA Finals when the Heat won their only championship. At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Wade led the United States Men’s Basketball Team, in scoring, as they grabbed the gold medal honors in Beijing, China.This year, Wade topped the NBA in regular-season scoring average at just over 30 points in each game.

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