EXCLUSIVE
Flo Rida got taken for a Rida -- at least according to new court docs -- the rapper claims he forked over $170,000 to purchase a house in the Sunshine State ... and the owners ran off with his money.
Here's the story -- Flo claims he attempted to purchase the home from Florida couple Pierre and Marie Malette in 2009 ... but the deal never closed.
Flo claims he handed over the money as a down payment, but the Malettes never signed over the house ... leaving Flo with no house and no money.
Sources close to Flo tell us he's not as upset about the house -- he wasn't going to live there ... it's more about the dough.
The Malettes have since filed for bankruptcy ... and now Flo has filed a claim in their case, demanding his $170K.
