Indianapolis Colts cornerback Sauce Gardner has filed a $1.4 million lawsuit tied to a Detroit apartment building deal he says went off the rails.
The complaint, filed Monday, Aug. 10, in Wayne County Circuit Court, names contractor Nicholas Sanborn and Sanborn Construction Group. At the center of the case is a 102-year-old apartment building in Detroit that Gardner says he was pushed to buy, then poured money into for renovations that never got finished the way he was told they would.
The dispute surfaced first through TMZ, and Gardner later posted a screenshot of that report on his Instagram Story, seemingly amplifying the alleged scam.
Court documents say Gardner and Sanborn connected through social media in March and quickly moved into conversations about Detroit real estate opportunities. Gardner alleges Sanborn persuaded him to purchase the historic building for about $935,000.
After the purchase, Gardner says he handed over a $500,000 upfront deposit for the first phase of renovations. That work was supposed to cover new windows, a new roof, doors and framing. But Gardner claims the promised progress never came, and that Sanborn eventually stopped responding.
According to the lawsuit, Gardner then instructed Sanborn to halt work on the property and requested the return of the $500,000 deposit. He also alleges Sanborn kept spending money on the project without his approval.
The filing also references a YouTube video Sanborn posted on May 17, and Gardner says the video used his name and image to promote the project without his permission.
Gardner is accusing Sanborn and Sanborn Construction Group of fraud, breach of contract, negligent misrepresentation and unjust enrichment. He is seeking the return of his $500,000 renovation deposit, along with additional damages tied to the deal.
Sauce Gardner joined the Indianapolis Colts on Nov. 4, 2025. He was acquired in a major mid-season trade with the New York Jets in exchange for the Colts' 2026 first-round draft pick, the Colts' 2027 first-round draft pick and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell.
His Colts are set to open Preseason Week 1 on Aug. 13 at 7:30 PM EDT against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium.
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