Former NFL star Le’Veon Bell had to find out the hard way what it’s like to allegedly live fast, play hard, and still leave the family court accounts empty…
According to law enforcement reports confirmed by TMZ, the former Pittsburgh Steelers running back was officially taken into custody by the Jackson Township Police Department over the weekend after an active child support warrant finally caught up with him.
The 34-year-old former pro didn’t get caught slipping in some back alley transaction, either… police put the cuffs on him right in the middle of the Belden Village Mall in Canton, Ohio, where he was reportedly scheduled to do an autograph signing for fans.
Definitely not a good scene for the folks who pulled up to get a jersey signed only to watch the man get escorted away by the Stark County Sheriff’s Office. Law enforcement officials confirmed that Bell was booked into the Stark County Jail on a civil capias warrant, which is basically the legal system’s way of saying “you’ve skipped out on too many court dates and missed too many checks, so now we’re forcing you to show up.”
For a guy who once famously sat out a whole NFL season over a $14 million contract dispute to secure his generational wealth, seeing him pinned down over child support is a wild turn of events that has the internet talking. According to TMZ, Le’Veon allegedly owes more than $50,000 for child support.
So what’s his excuse? Well, Le’Veon’s attorney, Thomas Shaffer, told the outlet that despite his past success, Mr. Le’Veon is currently struggling to make support payments as he’s not earned as much in recent years.