Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez is crying foul over a $17,600 charge on his AmEx Black Card after he took his 20-year-old niece, Michelle Silva, on a shopping spree with his girlfriend, Torrie Wilson.
Rodriguez is disputing the five-figure sum he spent at the Blue & Cream boutique on the Bowery after he was told he couldn’t return the expensive wares he bought for his niece.
The generous Yankees slugger took the ladies to Blue & Cream on Feb. 15 for a lavish day of shopping.
Store managers tell us Rodriguez is a regular at the boutique, and has previously dropped thousands of dollars on clothes for Silva and ex-girlfriends Kate Hudson and Cameron Diaz.
Silva picked out a $1,250 pair of shoes by Chrissie Morris, dresses by Hervé Léger and other goods. “Torrie was being price-conscious, but the niece was throwing in more and more clothes,” said a store rep. Rodriguez “joked around with the saleswomen while the girls shopped,” the rep added.
His group walked out the door with $17,604 worth of goods, all paid for by Rodriguez on his black American Express card.
But when Silva got home, we’re told her mom became concerned that her wealthy brother had spoiled her daughter with expensive goods, and told Silva to return the clothes.
Rodriguez’s people then called the store repeatedly asking to return the clothes, but were informed Blue & Cream doesn’t issue refunds, only store credit, a rep for the boutique told us.
Silva sent an email to store management, saying she couldn’t keep the pricey duds, and warned that her uncle will have to take “further measures” if a refund wasn’t issued.
This weekend, Blue & Cream was notified that Rodriguez is disputing the charges.
“It’s ridiculous. Completely ridiculous,” said a store rep. “We have security tapes and coverage of him at the checkout counter. We’re completely not in the wrong.”
A rep for Rodriguez declined to comment.