Ex-Liverpool star Daniel Sturridge ‘being SUED by man who found his lost dog in Los Angeles in 2019’

Ex-England and Liverpool star Daniel Sturridge is reportedly being sued by a man who found his stolen dog in Los Angeles two years ago. 

Sturridge, now 31, made a plea on social media after his beloved Pomeranian dog named Lucci, who is worth up to £4,000, was stolen after his house was burgled in July 2019, with bags also taken. 

The footballer promised a reward of £26,000 ($30,000) to whoever found the pet but Foster Washington, the man claiming to have found the dog, is now filing a new lawsuit stating Sturridge still owes him the reward money, as per a report by TMZ Sports.  

Daniel Sturridge with his pet dog Lucci (posted last week) who was stolen two years ago in LA

Sturridge posted a ‘thank you’ message on his Instagram after Pomeranian pet Lucci was found after the burglary in Los Angeles, saying he was ‘absolutely delighted’ 

The report details that Washington says he found Lucci on the street after the burglary in July 2019 before reaching out to Sturridge, expecting the reward in return for finding his dog. 

But according to TMZ, Washington insists Sturridge has not paid him anything at all, so he’s now suing claiming that Sturridge breached a contract by not living up to the reward offer. 

Sportsmail has contacted Sturridge’s representatives for comment.  

Sturridge posted the scene at his burgled house on his Instagram, with detectives later arriving to gather evidence. 

While they took fingerprints from a broken door, the footballer took matters into his own hands by pleading for help on social media.  

The loss of the favourite pet Lucci was what he was most upset about and Sturridge insisted the ‘dognappers’ should come back ‘if they wanted to make money.’

Sturridge was furious on Instagram after his house was burgled and his dog was stolen 

In an angry tirade online, Sturridge said: ‘Listen, somebody’s broken into the house in LA, took my dog from the house. Listen, whoever knows who broke into my crib, I’ll pay you anything. 

‘I’m dead serious. I want to know what’s gone on, I want to know why they’ve took my dog, I want to know why they’ve taken bags from upstairs. I want to know what the f*** has gone on, I’m dead serious. 

‘How can you break into a house in LA and take somebody’s dog, are you crazy? You’ve come into a house to take a dog? 

‘Yo, somebody please find my dog. I will pay anything I’m dead serious, I want my dog back.’   

When the dog was found Washington, a local musician whose rapper name is Killa Fame, posted a tweet with a series of photos asking if he’d found the beloved pet. 

Washington, whose rapper name is Killa Fame, posted a tweet asking if he’d found Lucci 

But later that same day, Washington was angry about not receiving the $30,000 reward 

A day later he accused Sturridge of ‘lying’ about promising to pay a reward for finding his dog

However, later in the day, Washington tweeted: ‘Don’t offer a reward if you not planning on living up to your word!!’

The next morning, he added: ‘So the world is gonna except (sic) Daniel Sturridge promising 30k reward for the return of his dog and lied… but fault me for finding the dog and returning him. SAD AMERIC (sic)’.

Sturridge later posted a ‘thank you message’, admitting he was ‘absolutely delighted’ that his dog had been found and thanked everyone on social media for spreading the word.  

Sturridge, who played 26 times for England from 2011-2017, is currently without a club having left Turkish club Trabzonspor in 2020. 

On 18 July 2019, Sturridge was banned from football for six weeks, four of which were suspended, for breaching betting rules after instructing his brother to bet on a possible move to Sevilla after he was released by Liverpool. 

Yet then in March 2020, his contract was terminated by Trabzonspor after he received a four-month worldwide ban for breaching betting rules, with an appeal board also fining him £150,000. 

Former England footballer Sturridge is currently without a club after he left Trabzonspor