James Fishback sued over $8,000 unpaid debate scholarship

Briana Whatley, a former national champion in the youth debate league Incubate Debate, filed a small‑claims suit in Broward County on July 27 alleging that James Fishback and his nonprofit Incubate Foundation failed to pay about $8,000 in scholarship winnings promised for her 2023‑2024 debate achievements. Whatley earned $11,000 in total awards, including a $10,000 national championship prize, and was told the money would be paid on her high‑school graduation, but she received no payment despite repeated inquiries.

Fishback responded by claiming an undocumented “installment policy” and blamed a former employee for the award letter. Text messages in the complaint show Fishback asking for Whatley’s bank information and later sending a partial $3,000 payment via Zelle, with the next installment scheduled for February. The lawsuit was filed the same day a Leon County judge upheld Fishback’s eligibility to run for Florida governor after a residency challenge. The case adds to other legal pressures on Fishback, including a separate federal judgment of roughly $229,000 related to his former employer Greenlight Capital.