Colts CB Sauce Gardner Files Lawsuit Over Detroit Apartment Project

Sauce Gardner’s off-field investment has suddenly become a major legal story. The Colts cornerback filed a lawsuit in Wayne County Circuit Court after a Detroit apartment project allegedly went off track. The case has now entered its most significant phase because the lawsuit lays out detailed fraud allegations, disputed renovation payments and claims that Sauce Gardner’s name appeared in promotional material without his permission. The dispute surfaced just before Indianapolis opened its preseason schedule against the New England Patriots.

According to the court filing first reported by TMZ, Gardner connected with contractor Nicholas Sanborn through social media in March 2026. They discussed Detroit real estate opportunities, and Gardner eventually purchased a 102-year-old apartment building for about $935,000. Sauce Gardner says he later paid $500,000 for the first phase of renovations. The planned work included windows, roofing, doors and framing. However, the lawsuit claims the project did not progress as promised and communication eventually broke down. The filing states that Gardner ordered the work to stop and requested the return of the money. He also alleges that additional spending occurred after that request. One detail pushed the dispute into a more public phase. The lawsuit references a YouTube video titled “COMPLETELY RESTORING An Abandoned 102 Year Old Historic Apartment Building With Sauce Gardner,” which Sanborn posted on May 17, 2026. Gardner claims the video used his name and image to promote the project without authorization. He accuses Sanborn and Sanborn Construction Group of fraud, breach of contract, negligent misrepresentation and unjust enrichment. Gardner seeks the return of the renovation payment and additional damages, bringing the total claim to about $1.4 million.

The current situation has made the lawsuit even more notable. The Indianapolis Colts enters the 2026 season with major expectations, and Sauce Gardner remains one of the franchise’s most recognizable players.

The Indy acquired Sauce Gardner from the New York Jets on Nov. 4, 2025, in a blockbuster midseason trade that included two future first-round picks and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell. Since then, he has become a central figure in the Colts secondary. Now the focus has shifted from football to a courtroom in Detroit. The lawsuit offers the clearest look yet at what Gardner believes happened during the investment, and that is why this stage matters more than the earlier reports. Neither Sanborn nor Sanborn Construction Group had publicly responded to the allegations at the time of writing. The court will now determine whether Gardner can prove the claims outlined in his filing. For Sauce Gardner, the story is no longer about buying a historic Detroit building. It is about whether a promising real estate venture turned into a costly legal fight that could remain in the spotlight throughout the Colts’ 2026 season.