Former NFL linebacker Bill Romanowski and his wife, Julie, filed for bankruptcy on Monday amid accusations of owing millions in unpaid taxes to the U.S. government, court records reveal.
This bankruptcy filing occurred just before a crucial juncture for the Romanowskis – less than 24 hours prior to a scheduled hearing on Tuesday in the civil case initiated by Department of Justice attorneys last summer. U.S. attorneys assert that the Romanowskis utilized a nutrition company they established to evade tax responsibilities, resulting in a debt exceeding $15.5 million in back taxes.
By filing for bankruptcy under federal law, the Romanowskis will receive a temporary reprieve, prompting an automatic pause in the Department of Justice’s endeavors to collect the alleged owed funds.
The couple’s legal representative did not respond immediately to an email requesting comment.
Romanowski, aged 58, spent parts of 16 seasons in the NFL with the Denver Broncos, San Francisco 49ers, and two other teams, garnering a reputation as a fiery and polarizing linebacker. Despite winning four Super Bowl rings and accumulating over 1,000 career tackles, Romanowski frequently found himself embroiled in controversy and later admitted to using steroids during his playing tenure.
Department of Justice lawyers allege that in the years preceding and following his retirement after the 2003 season, Romanowski and his wife neglected to remit millions in income taxes. According to government lawyers, the couple utilized funds from Nutrition53, the nutritional supplement company they established, to cover personal expenses for themselves and their two children, in an attempt to evade reporting federal income and repaying the taxes owed.
Court records indicate that Bill and Julie Romanowski opened bank accounts on behalf of Nutrition53, subsequently utilizing funds from these accounts to cover various personal expenses, including rent for their 6,000-square-foot California residence, groceries, veterinarian bills, and “over 170 visits to nail salons, hair salons, and day spas.”
Nutrition53, named as a defendant in the federal lawsuit, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last autumn. Department of Justice lawyers have since filed a motion for default judgment against the Romanowskis, urging a judge to rule in the government’s favor immediately. A hearing on this motion was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.
