Former NFL quarterback Vick sued in Broward County

Creditors seeking nearly $700K in loan repayments

Former NFL star Michael Vick, whose journey took him from fame and fortune with the Atlanta Falcons to the inside of a prison cell for his role in a dogfighting ring and then an NFL rebound with the Philadelphia Eagles, is being sued in Broward County by creditors who want him to repay loans from at least four years ago in Maryland.

According to the lawsuit, which was filed in May, Vick was slapped with a judgment of $692,000 for the outstanding debts. That came from a Maryland court. Details about the origin of those debts were not part of the Broward lawsuit.

But Vick lives in Southwest Ranches, in a home protected by the state’s homestead laws because it’s his primary residence. Lawyers for the plaintiffs say they want Vick at a deposition Aug. 5 to list his assets so his creditors can collect.

Vick’s South Florida lawyer, Arthur Jones, said Friday he intends to represent him in the case and asserted that the plaintiffs are misrepresenting how much Vick owes.

“Michael Vick takes these matters seriously and is aware of the proceedings and will be sure that all parties who are entitled to receive payment will be paid,” he said in an email statement. “However, usurious calculations which produce absurd results should not be countenanced by the courts of Florida.

“Therefore, all appropriate defenses will certainly be utilized. Further comment on any shenanigans which lead to situations like this may be made available at a later date.”

Kevin Spinozza, an attorney for the plaintiffs, did not respond Friday to a request for comment.

“They are indeed living in the house,” Spinozza told the Miami Herald on Thursday. “There was a $160,000 Bentley in the driveway. Obviously a beautiful home, one you would think a retired NFL player would live in.”

Vick played for the Falcons from 2001 until 2006. The following year he was embroiled in a controversy over an illegal dogfighting ring in Virginia and ended up serving nearly two years in federal prison.

He filed for bankruptcy in 2008 and ended up paying back most of what he owed, according to published reports. He returned to the NFL as quarterback for the Eagles in 2009. After playing for the New York Jets and the Pittsburgh Steelers, he retired in 2017 and started working as a Fox Sports analyst.

No hearings have been set in the Broward collections case.

FILE Former NFL quarterback Michael Vick gets into a waiting car after a 2019 bankruptcy hearing at Norfolk Federal Court. Vick is being sued in Broward County for outstanding loan debts.