NHL Legend Wayne Gretzky Sued for $10M by Chewing Gum Investor, per Report

A chewing gum maker is suing Wayne Gretzky for $10 million, claiming the hockey legend lied about the product’s weight loss benefits, per a lawsuit obtained by People.

The NHL’s all-time leading scorer got involved with the gum company after his wife, Janet, became a spokesperson for OMG Gum. The plaintiff, Steven Sparks, helped create the gum, which is marketed as a “natural gum that helps manage weight.”

Gretzky allegedly claimed he lost 35 pounds in six to eight weeks thanks to the product, a claim repeated by Janet Gretzky, according to the suit, which was filed in Los Angeles. Based on Gretzky’s statement, Sparks claims he and other investors began providing more funding to OMG Gum’s parent company, BuChew.

However, Wayne Gretzky later allegedly revealed that his weight loss statement was not true.

“The statement that [Wayne] ‘lost 35 lbs.’ as a result of ‘OMG gum’ was the motivation for [Sparks] and other shareholders to invest and/or re-invest in BuChew, by either providing capital investments and/or services,” the filing obtained by People states. “[Wayne’s] motivation for misrepresenting the truth was to increase the value of BuChew’s stock which he surreptitiously purchased under his family’s name.”

The $10 million requested by Sparks represents the amount he claims he has lost in damages. He also has asked for an additional $500,000 for attorney fees with 10% interest.

Additionally, the filing details Sparks’s claim that the Gretzkys attempted to remove him from BuChew. The couple then allegedly told the company it could no longer use the former NHL star’s image or name for OMG Gum.

Gretzky has yet to comment on the lawsuit.

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