Mark Wahlberg’s Business Lawsuits: F45, Wahlburgers, and Grillo’s

Mark Wahlberg’s business lawsuits cluster around two ventures: the F45 Training fitness franchise, in which he is a major investor and chief brand officer, and Wahlburgers, the restaurant chain he runs with his brothers Donnie and Paul. F45 recently resolved a high-profile endorsement dispute with David Beckham and a $10.5 million shareholder class action tied to its 2021 IPO. Wahlburgers has faced a decade of partnership feuds, a labor class action in Brooklyn, a landlord claim in West Hollywood, and a trademark fight brought by Grillo’s Pickles. Most have ended in settlements.

David Beckham’s F45 Endorsement Lawsuit

In November 2020, David Beckham’s company, DB Ventures Limited, signed a five-year deal to serve as a global brand ambassador for F45 Training. The contract called for $1.5 million in annual cash compensation plus a block of company stock once F45 went public, with the shares to be “freely transferable” from the moment they were issued.¹²

F45 went public in July 2021. According to Beckham’s company, the promised shares were delayed by roughly eight months, and during that window F45’s stock price cratered. DB Ventures estimated the delay cost Beckham approximately $9.3 million in lost value and sued in California state court in October 2022, alleging breach of contract and seeking roughly $18.8 million in total damages, including claims over additional shares the company allegedly refused to hand over.¹³

F45 argued the suit relied on a “skewed reading” of the contract and moved to dismiss. Both a federal and a state court judge rejected that argument, finding the contract required the shares to be freely transferable at issuance, and a trial was ordered. Wahlberg personally moved to dismiss as well, calling the 209-page complaint one that “tries to make up with length what it lacks in merit.”¹²

The parties announced a settlement on June 6, 2024, before trial. Terms were not disclosed. F45 CEO Tom Dowd said the company was “pleased to have reached a mutual business decision to resolve the matter,” and a representative for Beckham’s side said DB Ventures would retain its investment in F45.⁴

F45 Shareholder Class Action Over the IPO

A separate case brought by F45 investors reached settlement in 2026. In re F45 Training Holdings, Inc. Securities Litigation (No. 1:22-cv-01291-DAE) was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas before Judge David A. Ezra, on behalf of investors who bought F45 stock between the July 2021 IPO and August 14, 2023.⁵

Shareholders alleged that F45 inflated its growth story by counting multi-unit franchise agreements as “sales” regardless of whether studios actually opened, and by redefining “studio openings” to include locations that had not generated meaningful revenue.⁶ The complaint further alleged that F45 facilitated franchisee financing through Fortress Credit without adequate due diligence, and that the company failed to disclose that key territories were already locked up by large franchisees, limiting future expansion.⁵

Pledge Capital LLC was appointed lead plaintiff in February 2023, and the Police and Fire Retirement System of the City of Detroit later joined as a named plaintiff.⁷⁵ The parties agreed to a $10.5 million cash settlement. The court granted preliminary approval on April 16, 2026, certifying a class of all persons and entities who purchased F45 common stock during the relevant period. A final settlement hearing is scheduled for August 27, 2026.⁸

Wahlberg’s Position at F45

Wahlberg’s investment group, MWIG LLC, acquired a minority stake in F45 in March 2019 at a valuation of roughly $450 million. By the July 2021 IPO, which valued F45 at roughly $1.4 billion, MWIG held approximately 27% of the company.⁹ As of 2026 he holds the title of chief brand officer, is paid $1 per year, and sits on the board of directors.¹⁰

Wahlburgers Partnership Disputes

The Wahlburgers chain has faced litigation almost since its founding. The earliest dispute involved Edward St. Croix, a business manager at Alma Nove, a restaurant co-owned by Paul Wahlberg. In October 2012, Paul Wahlberg’s company, Shipyard Ventures LLC, sued St. Croix in Suffolk County Superior Court, alleging he had mismanaged Alma Nove’s finances and used restaurant revenue for personal expenses. St. Croix counterclaimed, asserting he still held a 50% stake in Shipyard Ventures.¹¹¹²

That fight widened in February 2017, when St. Croix and William “Billy” Leonard filed a 33-page complaint in Plymouth County Superior Court against Mark, Donnie, and Paul Wahlberg. The two claimed they helped launch the first Wahlburgers location in Hingham and alleged the brothers “stole the most valuable franchise opportunities for themselves” while squeezing them out after 2012. Wahlburgers called the allegations “a litany of false and misleading claims.”¹³¹⁴ According to franchise disclosure records, a 2017 breach of fiduciary duty case was later settled for $900,000.¹⁵

Labor and Property Lawsuits

In August 2016, five former employees of a Wahlburgers franchise in Brooklyn filed a class action alleging failure to pay proper minimum wage and withholding of tips. One claim drew particular attention: the workers alleged that a $3,000 tip left by the cast of Donnie Wahlberg’s show Blue Bloods was never distributed to staff. The suit named the franchise operator, Coney Burgers, rather than the Wahlberg family directly. Wahlburgers said it was working with the franchisee to “better understand the circumstances.”¹⁶

In late 2021, Montgomery Management Company sued Mark Wahlberg and his company Tinseltown Sunset LLC over the shuttered Wahlburgers location in West Hollywood. The landlord alleged that upon vacating the space, Wahlberg’s team stripped it of booths, light fixtures, kitchen sinks, and a walk-in cooler, leaving the premises “un-tenantable” for the incoming tenant. The suit sought at least $350,000 in damages.¹⁷ No public resolution of that case has been reported.

The Grillo’s Pickles Trademark Suit

In January 2023, Grillo’s Pickles filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey against Wahlburgers, Patriot Pickle Inc., and distributor ARKK Food Co. Grillo’s alleged that Wahlburgers’ packaged pickles were marketed as “fresh,” “all natural,” and free of preservatives despite containing the artificial preservative benzoic acid. The complaint also claimed Patriot Pickle had improperly used recipes obtained from Grillo’s after the two companies ended their business relationship in 2021.¹⁸ A notice of settlement was filed on July 16, 2023, resolving the matter roughly six months after it was filed.¹⁹

1
Fox Business. David Beckham’s Company Settles Lawsuit With Mark Wahlberg’s F45
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The Gentleman’s Journal. David Beckham Mark Wahlberg F45
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People. David Beckham, Mark Wahlberg’s F45 Reach Agreement to Dissolve Lawsuit
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Hello Magazine. David Beckham Mark Wahlberg Settle Lawsuit
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Labaton Sucharow. In Re F45 Training Holdings, Inc. Securities Litigation
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Bloomberg Law. Wahlberg Fitness Brand F45 Settle IPO Lawsuit for $11 Million
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CourtListener. In Re F45 Training Holdings, Inc. Securities Litigation Docket
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Strategic Claims. Order Preliminarily Granting Plaintiffs’ Motion to Approve Settlement
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Sydney Morning Herald. Mark Wahlberg Buys Stake in Australian Fitness Franchise F45
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Athletech News. Mark Wahlberg Brings F45 Studios to Boston
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The Patriot Ledger. Partners Behind Alma Nove, Wahlburgers
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Boston Globe. Former Wahlburgers Business Manager Responds to Lawsuit With Legal Action of His Own
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Boston Magazine. Wahlburgers Lawsuit
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Eater. Wahlburgers Lawsuit Franchising
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FranchiseVerdict. Wahlburgers Litigation
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Boston Magazine. Wahlburgers New York Labor Lawsuit
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Boston Magazine. Mark Wahlberg Wahlburgers Sued
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NJBIZ. NJ Pickle Company, Wahlburgers Accused of Misleading Consumers
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Top Class Actions. Wahlburgers Lawsuit Alleges Pickle Competitors Make False All Natural Claims