Former NFL star Michael Vick facing legal action over unpaid debts
The divisive quartback has been in trouble with the law before and even served time in prison as a result of it, but where his latest error lands him is anybody’s guess at this point.
It’s been sometime since we heard the name of Michael Vick, but unfortunately for the former NFL quarterback it’s once again not related to good news.
Michael Vick could face legal action over oustanding debts
According to reports from South Florida, former NFL quarterback Michael Vick could well be in some serious financial trouble. As per reports, a group of creditors has submitted a request to a Broward County circuit court to force the former Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles star to pay back approximately $1.2 million in judgments from loans he received in Maryland back in 2018.
Legal representatives for the group have apparently issued subpoenas for Vick and his family, seeking to detail their assets in depositions scheduled for August 5th. While it would appear that Vick’s house in Broward County’s Southwest Ranches is not implicated in the proceedings due to Florida law which protects a primary residence, it is understood that plaintiffs in the case are seeking other assets such as cars, jewellry and sports memorabilia. “They are indeed living in the house. There was a $160,000 Bentley in the driveway,” said Kevin Spinozza, a Coral Gables lawyer spearheading the local effort to collect. “Obviously a beautiful home, one you would think a retired NFL player would live in.”
How did Michael Vick get here?
What has become clear over the course of scenario is that Vick has reportedly received a number of loans which he apparently has failed to repay. The lawsuit in question concerns two specific loans that were taken out with Atlantic Solutions in Bethesda, Maryland. Vick was allegedly supposed to repay the amount loaned to him via the sale of his former home in addition to funds from his retirement and pension accounts with the NFL.
Where things get sticky for Vick is that it’s been reported that the debt was then sold to a broker company called SMA Hub, which in turn divided up the interest and sold it in portions to six people. Worse still is that one of those indviduals was a 60-year-old Texas teacher’s assistant who alleges that she invested the entirety of her life savings - some $50,000 - into the investment. It is understood that Vick never repaid the loan.
Michael Vick’s lawyers push back
Speaking on his client’s behalf, South Florida lawyer, Arthur Jones seemed to imply that the amount of money mentioned in the judgements was not accurate but actually inflated. “Michael Vick takes these matters seriously and is aware of the proceedings and will be sure that all parties who are entitled to receive payment will be paid,” he said. “However, usurious calculations which produce absurd results should not be countenanced by the courts of Florida. Therefore, all appropriate defenses will certainly be utilized. Further comment on any shenanigans which lead to situations like this may be made available at a later date.”
Is Michael Vick delinquent in his financial dealings?
Incidentally, this is not Vick’s first brush with the law where financial issues are concerned, reports also mention some $400,000 in loans also issued by Atlantic Solutions which eventually resulted in a $1.9 million judgment against Vick, one that he also allegedly has not repaid. What’s more is that Vick has also reportedly been the subject of lawsuits brought against him by CBS Radio East over an apparent breach of contract by failing to make a stipulated amount of appearances on New York City’s WFAN. Then there are also reports of a bank seeking to bring legal action against him for failure to make payments on his car.
Who was Michael Vick the NFL Quarterback?
Fans of the game will of course recall when Vick’s NFL career was infamously cut short by a 23-month prison sentence as a result of his involvement in illegal dogfighting. The former NFL star played a total of 13 seasons in the league primarily with the Falcons and Eagles and wasn’t just a great QB, but a prolific rusher, becoming the league’s first quarterback to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. To this day he leads all QBs in rushing yards. Vick had accumulated more than $115 million in career earnings by the time of his retirement in 2017.