Dennis Rodman $800K Child Support Back Payments Case Settled
Dennis Rodman, former NBA champion, has been sentenced in family court for failing to pay over $800,000 in child support payments for his three children. He faced up to 20 days in jail but instead was sentenced to 104 hours of community service after being found guilty of contempt for not paying his dues.
Rodman currently owes $808,935 in back child support and $51,441 in spousal support, according to the court documents.
"Rodman also must pay current child and spousal support, and he still owes hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional back child support," a court official told The Los Angeles Times.
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His lawyer, Linnea Willis, previously told the court that he is incapable of making payments to former wife Michelle and is barely able to take care of himself.
"Respondent Dennis Rodman is broke and cannot afford any additional fees," read the documents, according to The Sun-Sentinel. His attorneys are currently working pro bono since he is unable to afford any expenses above maintaining his lifestyle.
"Michelle Rodman has already been paid $13,500 this year, even though Dennis Rodman has only made $8,000 this year," state the court documents.
"The only way he is even able to keep up with support obligations is to borrow money from his finance manager Peggy Williams and his agent Darren Prince. In all honesty, Dennis … is an alcoholic. His sickness impacts his ability to get work," state the documents. "This case, especially his wife filing for divorce, has put him on a binge that I have never seen before. He is extremely hurt and extremely sick."
Rodman has a history of alcohol abuse: in 2008 he entered rehab for treatment.
"His life has not been going smoothly for the last few months," said spokesman Darren Prince.
"He has not been able to see his kids, and he has been drinking too much," Prince told People magazine.
He then returned to treatment one year later and decided to appear on "Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew." He successfully completed treatment, but now has apparently fallen into the old habit. It is a far cry from Rodman's glory days in the NBA.
Rodman has not publicly spoken about his sentence or whether he intends to enter treatment at a later time.
