Four months after filing for bankruptcy, a former professional football player was arrested this week on charges that he had failed to make his court-ordered child support payments. But despite his financial situation and the criminal charges against him, Jamal Lewis insisted to the media that he has paid his child support as directed, stating that the allegations against him are simply a ‘misunderstanding.’
Lewis is a 33-year-old Atlanta native who played for nine seasons in the NFL. Despite his professional success, he filed for bankruptcy earlier this year, citing $10.6 million in debt and $14.5 million in assets. It is not known whether his child support order changed in the wake of his bankruptcy filing. Most likely, the family court will wait until his bankruptcy becomes final before issuing a child support modification, although that could vary depending on his financial situation.
It appears that Lewis’ financial troubles extended to his ability to pay child support: he was arrested on Tuesday night and charged with one count of misdemeanor child abandonment after reportedly failing to pay child support. The arrest warrant also states that Lewis has had no contact with his son in more than a year.
However, in a public statement, Lewis denied all of the allegations against him. “I have made mistakes in my life, but failing to care for my children is not one of them,” he said. “I’m confident this matter will be resolved as the legal process plays out, and I will continue to work toward an arrangement within the court system that will allow me to effectively co-parent my son.”
Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “Former NFL star: Arrest a misunderstanding,” Alexis Stevens, Aug. 2, 2012