A former NBA player, plagued by debt and bankruptcy, has been called to court for failure to pay child support and school tuition for his youngest daughter, as reported by the Chicago Tribune.
The Cook County Circuit Court Judge Michael Ian Bender has stated that due to former all-star A.W.'s pending bankruptcy, no action would be made. It is now in the hands of a federal judge to determine if the child support case will proceed.
The child's mother, D.G., produced documents detailing A.W.'s failure to pay a tuition amount of $27,817 to the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools as well as $4,195 for two year's worth of back child support.
Allegedly, if the school tuition is not paid by the end of December, the child will have to leave the school. Her mother produced a letter from the school, stating this fact, to the court.
The child's mother said, "It's not about him, it's just for my daughter's education. I just want her to stay in school. I don't want her to have to transfer. Her education is important, and its not being treated like it's important."
D.G. purposely had the courts request that R.W. appear to force him to pay the outstanding sums.
R.W. has had many financial troubles for several years. He has been sued for collection of his debts, was accused of being a slumlord and was robbed of his money, jewelry and car in an armed robbery in 2007.
In his 13-year professional basketball career with the NBA, it is reported that he earned approximately $110 million. He retired in 2008 but began playing again with the NBA Development League in Boise, Idaho.
In May 2010 R.W. filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection. He reported $12.7 million in liabilities and $4.2 million in assets. He blamed the debt on poor real estate investments and personal gambling losses.
In his real estate debts, R.W. had purchased a home for his mother in Tinley Park – and currently still owes $2 million on it. And in casinos in East Chicago, and Las Vegas, R.W. reportedly owes $1.2 million.
R.W. has claimed to have $2,900 in savings, $19,000 in clothes and furniture and $6,000 for the championship ring he still owns.
He also listed both D.G. and their daughter as child support recipients – but failed to list the amount owed.
In court, R.W. explained all of his debts to Judge Bender.
R.W.'s attorney, Jessee R. Dagen, told the judge that his client owes approximately $117,000 in overdue child support – but has claimed that he never received some of the court documents. The couple shares joint custody of their daughter, per Dagen, but the agreement between the two "hasn't been the best."
Dagen told the judge that her team is looking into bank statements to see exactly how much child support her client has paid.
After the hearing D.G. told reporters, "I'm just disappointed that he didn't care enough about his child to put her first … before gambling his money away. I would have thought his daughter would have come first in any situation."
If you are in the midst of a child support fight, contact a family law attorneyto best suit your needs.