LOS ANGELES -- Sports agent Leigh Steinberg's $40 million lawsuit claiming a former business partner and others conspired to steal clients and set up a competing agency went to the jury Friday evening.

The eight-member federal court jury began deliberating after being told by Steinberg's attorney during closing arguments that the agent was the victim of betrayal. The defense countered that David Dunn and the other defendants competed fairly against Steinberg, and characterized the lawsuit as revenge.

Steinberg attorney Brock Gowdy detailed a "game plan'' executed by Dunn and partner Brian Murphy to steal clients, employees and documents from the firm of Steinberg, Moorad & Dunn and blackmail Steinberg so he wouldn't try to stop them.

"This is a case about betrayal and it's a case about blackmail,'' Gowdy said.

Steinberg, a model for Tom Cruise's flamboyant sports agent in the movie "Jerry Maguire,'' has represented dozens of star athletes. But lawyers for Dunn and his co-defendants claim that Steinberg, despite his reputation, has seen his role in dealmaking dwindle in recent years. They say it was Dunn who actually did much of the work.

Dunn departed SMD to form Athletes First two years after Steinberg merged SMD with Assante Corp. of Canada. The defense claims Dunn was cheated out of millions in the deal and that SMD had become dysfunctional as Steinberg grew arrogant and rude.

Athletes First defense attorney Lee Hutton told the jury in his closing argument that Dunn didn't solicit any SMD clients to join his firm, and that the athletes made their own choices.

Gowdy contended that Dunn breached his contract with SMD soon after he signed a new contract worth $7 million that included a $2 million signing bonus and a clause that forbade Dunn to compete with Steinberg's firm.

Gowdy said Dunn broke that agreement in starting Athletes First.

Dunn joined Steinberg's firm in 1991.