Current:Home > BackBill Romanowski, wife file for bankruptcy amid DOJ lawsuit over unpaid taxes-InfoLens
Bill Romanowski, wife file for bankruptcy amid DOJ lawsuit over unpaid taxes
View Date:2024-12-23 19:05:54
Former NFL linebacker Bill Romanowski and his wife Julie filed for bankruptcy Monday amid allegations that they owe the U.S. government millions in unpaid taxes, according to court records.
The bankruptcy filing came at a pivotal moment for the Romanowskis − less than 24 hours before a scheduled hearing Tuesday in the civil case that Department of Justice lawyers brought against the couple last summer. U.S. attorneys allege that the Romanowskis used a nutrition company they founded to skirt tax obligations and now owe more than $15.5 million in back taxes.
Under federal law, filing for bankruptcy will give the Romanowskis a temporary reprieve, triggering an automatic pause in the Department of Justice's efforts to collect on the alleged money owed.
The couple's attorney did not immediately reply to an e-mail seeking comment.
Romanowski, 58, spent parts of 16 seasons in the NFL with the Denver Broncos, San Francisco 49ers and two other teams, developing a reputation as a fiery and polarizing linebacker. He won four Super Bowl rings and recorded more than 1,000 career tackles, but he was also frequently embroiled in controversy and later admitted that he used steroids during his playing career.
NFL DRAFT HUB: Latest NFL Draft mock drafts, news, live picks, grades and analysis.
Department of Justice lawyers allege that in the years before and after his retirement, which came after the 2003 season, Romanowski and his wife failed to pay millions in income tax. In attempts to avoid reporting federal income and repaying those taxes, the couple then used money from Nutrition53, the nutritional supplement company they founded, to pay for personal expenses and those of their two children, government lawyers say.
According to court records, Bill and Julie Romanowski opened up bank accounts on behalf of Nutrition53 but then used money in those accounts to pay for everything from the rent for their 6,000-square-foot home in California to groceries, veterenarian expenses and "over 170 visits to nail salons, hair salons and day spas."
Nutrition53, which was also named as a defendant in the federal lawsuit, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last fall. Department of Justice lawyers have since filed a motion for default judgment against the Romanowskis, asking a judge to immediately rule in the government's favor. A hearing on that motion was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.
Contact Tom Schad at [email protected] or on social media @Tom_Schad.
veryGood! (75)
Related
- Medical King recalls 222,000 adult bed assistance rails after one reported death
- Illegal tunnel under a synagogue in NYC is 60 feet long and destabilized nearby buildings, city says
- Adan Canto's wife breaks silence after his death from cancer at age 42: Forever my treasure Adan
- Ship in Gulf of Oman boarded by ‘unauthorized’ people as tensions are high across Mideast waterways
- Target will be closed on Thanksgiving: Here’s when stores open on Black Friday
- What do you think of social media these days? We want to hear your stories
- Manifest Everything You Want for 2024 With These Tips From Camille Kostek
- Michigan basketball's leading scorer Dug McDaniel suspended for road games indefinitely
- Gisele Bündchen Makes First Major Appearance Since Pregnancy
- Powerball jackpot grows to $60 million for Jan. 10 drawing. See the winning numbers.
Ranking
- Wheel of Fortune Contestant Goes Viral Over His Hilariously Wrong Answer
- Ukraine’s president in Estonia on swing through Russia’s Baltic neighbors
- Hollywood attorney Kevin Morris, who financially backed Hunter Biden, moves closer to the spotlight
- Stephen Sondheim is cool now
- Fire crews gain greater control over destructive Southern California wildfire
- 2024 People's Choice Awards: Complete List of Nominees
- DeSantis and Haley jockey for second without Trump and other takeaways from Iowa GOP debate
- Researchers identify a fossil unearthed in New Mexico as an older, more primitive relative of T. rex
Recommendation
-
Mariah Carey's Amazon Holiday Merch Is All I Want for Christmas—and It's Selling Out Fast!
-
What is a spot bitcoin ETF, and how will its approval by the SEC impact investors?
-
Google lays off hundreds in hardware, voice assistant teams amid cost-cutting drive
-
Germany ready to help de-escalate tensions in disputed South China Sea, its foreign minister says
-
Relive Pregnant Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly's Achingly Beautiful Romance
-
Powerball jackpot grows to $60 million for Jan. 10 drawing. See the winning numbers.
-
Modi’s beach visit to a remote Indian archipelago rakes up a storm in the Maldives
-
Efforts to restrict transgender health care endure in 2024, with more adults targeted