Ex-Steeler Antonio Brown claims he doesn't own Albany Empire — and that he's a 'foreign national'

If you read the details surrounding former Pittsburgh Steeler Antonio Brown’s chaotic ownership of his National Arena League football team, buckle up. Because that news was just scratching the surface.

Earlier this week, details emerged that Brown’s franchise, the Albany Empire, was in a state of unrest after coaching changes, allegations that players and coaches weren’t being paid, multiple suspensions and defections from players on the team, and an incident on the team bus.

Not to mention Brown getting into an argument with a security guard on the field of the team’s home opener.

All that, though, is small potatoes compared to what the Albany Times Union reported Wednesday night. The latest news is that Brown doesn’t really own the team.

That’s according to Brown himself. Or, should I say, “Antonio El-Allah Express.”

This may be an amped up version of a “Ronald Ocean” or “Mr. Big Chest” nom de plume for Brown. According to the Times Union’s Abigail Rubel — who deserves a Pulitzer for making sense of what you are about to read — Brown is now distancing himself from owning the Empire. That’s the same franchise who A.B. declaratively stated that he owned “100%” just a few weeks ago.

Now, that last part has never been the case. As the Times Union points out, there are still minority investors in the Empire. When Brown first bought the team, he was in for 47.5%. He has since gained control of 95% of the club.

Or has he? Via Rubel’s reporting, Brown is now claiming he doesn’t control the team at all.

“According to documents provided to the Times Union by Brown’s camp, the team is owned by Antonio El-Allah Express Trust Enterprise, and Brown has no personal ownership or control over the team. … Empire team president Alberony Denis and a lawyer named Marlon Oliveira said in a phone call Monday night that a foreign citizen named Antonio El-Allah is the trustee.”

It’s at this point where the story takes a sharp left turn. Rubel shared the contents of the letter as A.B. begins to refer to himself as “a foreign national.”

“‘I Brown, Antonio Tavaris a foreign national but not a citizen of the United States at birth, am writing to you regarding recent reports that have been circulating in the media regarding my supposed ownership of the Albany Empire team,’ the letter begins. ‘I want to make it very clear that I am not the owner of this team, and any claims to the contrary are completely false.’”

Throughout his career, Brown has always been listed as having been born and raised in Miami. Rubel points out both of Brown’s parents — “Touchdown” Eddie Brown (a former Arena League star) and Adrienne Moss — are both U.S. citizens.

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Rubel says the letter cites “8 U.S. Code section 1408, which classifies people as ‘nationals’ but not citizens of the U.S. under certain circumstances, such as if they were born in ‘an outlying possession;’ were born outside the U.S. to parents who are themselves nationals but not citizens; or were of unknown parentage and found in an outlying possession when they were younger than age 5.”

According to her research, American Samoa and a coral atoll called Swains Island are the only “outlying possessions” that would qualify. So unless A.B. was really born in one of those places, he doesn’t check any of those boxes.

The letter concludes, “While the Trust have 100 percent ownership stake in the ALBANY EMPIRE, I myself do not have any ownership or control over the team.” It is then signed electronically by a John Williams, “Foreign Trustee, For Antonio El-Allah Express trust on behalf of: Antonio Tavaris Brown.”

Rubel adds that Williams’ name is “flanked by the words ‘No prejudice … no recourse’ — phrasing that might be intended to signal the letter could not be used in a civil legal matter.”

Rubel later reports that according to Denis and Oliveira, Antonio El-Allah Express Trust is connected to … wait for it … “Big Boomin Investment Co. LLC.” That’s a company Brown established in Dubai to facilitate his investments.

At a team news conference Wednesday afternoon, Brown (a foreign national) was asked who Antonio El-Allah might be, he said, “That’s a good question.” But he refused to offer any more details.

At least one message I received on Twitter suggested that the language in the letter implies that this may be an attempt by Brown (and his people) to position him as a “sovereign citizen.” That would essentially make Brown immune to U.S. jurisdiction. As a result, theoretically, he wouldn’t have to adhere to American laws, regulations, taxes and courts.

Now, I don’t know if any of that is true. But the concept of Antonio Brown ostensibly turning himself into his own country, so he doesn’t have to follow any rules or pay anyone, is pretty much the most Antonio Brown thing of all time. So I’m not ruling it out.

I will also be ordering a No. 84 Albany Empire Jersey with the name “Antonio El-Allah Express” on the back of it the moment I’m done posting this story.