Estonian basketball player Kriisa sued for debt in homeland, faces fraud charges in US

Estonian basketball player Kerr Kriisa, who is facing fraud charges in the United States, is also involved in a legal dispute in his home country. According to Estonian media, in October 2023, Kriisa borrowed €110,700 from a private individual, promising to repay by December 1, 2023. However, he has only repaid €13,200 in three installments. The current principal debt is almost €99,000, with interest and late fees reaching around €80,000. Additionally, a daily late fee of 0.1% is accruing on the unpaid principal from February 12, 2026, until full repayment.

The Tartu County Court initially dismissed the claim because Kriisa's permanent residence is in the US. However, the Tartu District Court ruled that the county court had rejected it on incorrect legal grounds, and the case was sent back. The county court has now accepted the claim again. Meanwhile, the Tartu team, which Kriisa joined less than a month ago, has terminated his contract.

Kriisa was arrested by the FBI in July on five counts of wire fraud. The indictment states that from June 2022, he impersonated others, falsely claiming urgent need for money. In one instance, he lied about planning to sell his organs to obtain funds. From 2022 to 2024, he impersonated his mother, requesting money for cancer treatment and to save the family farm. In April 2025, he signed an agreement falsely promising to repay $100,000. From November 2025 to February 2026, he requested money from another victim while posing as a fictional person named "Irene."

Kriisa played NCAA basketball for West Virginia, Arizona, Kentucky, and Cincinnati. Last season, he averaged 5.8 points, 3 assists, and 1.3 rebounds in 19 games. He was planning to start a professional career and joined the Tartu team in late June in the Latvian-Estonian Basketball League.