Former NFL star Bill Romanowski and his wife, Julie, have taken a drastic step amid increasing pressure from the federal government. The couple filed for bankruptcy on Monday, just a day before a scheduled hearing in the case brought against them by the Department of Justice in June. The DOJ alleges that they owe $15.5 million in back taxes, as reported by USA Today.
Romanowski and his wife are accused of failing to pay millions in taxes as far back as before his NFL retirement in 2003. They are also accused of using funds from their nutrition company, Nutrition53, to cover personal expenses for their family, according to the report.
A Different Way to Surrender
Under federal law, their bankruptcy filing will trigger an automatic halt in the Department of Justice's attempts to collect the alleged owed funds.
In an alleged attempt to evade reporting their federal income, Bill and Julie allegedly founded Nutrition53 to cover expenses such as rent, groceries, veterinarian bills, and reportedly, over 170 visits to nail salons, hair salons, and day spas, according to court documents.
Romanowski, the 58-year-old Connecticut native, has been embroiled in several controversies throughout his career.
In a notable incident in 2003, Romanowski, a four-time Super Bowl champion, ended the career of his Raiders teammate Marcus Williams when he hit Williams during practice, resulting in a broken eye socket.
Williams sued Bill, receiving a settlement of $415,000.
A Career Full of Controversies
Romanowski garnered attention in 1995 when he kicked Arizona Cardinals fullback Larry Centers in the head, leading to his ejection from the game and subsequent fine.
Two years later, in 1997, Romanowski spat in the face of 49ers receiver J.J. Stokes and also broke Panthers quarterback Kerry Collins' jaw with a helmet-to-helmet hit during a preseason game.
In 2005, Romanowski admitted to using steroids and human growth hormone (HGH) toward the end of his career, revealing that he obtained them from BALCO founder Victor Conte.
As a third-round pick by the 49ers in 1988, Romanowski enjoyed early success, winning Super Bowls with San Francisco in his first two NFL seasons.
After spending six seasons with the Niners, Romanowski went on to play two years with the Eagles and six with the Broncos, winning two more championships with Denver. He ended his career with two seasons with the Raiders.
