Surprise, Surprise…Michael Vick Spent Pension Funds Illegally

It likely comes as no surprise to even the most casual sports fan that Michael Vick is again in the news and again in trouble. Vick is, after all, a celebrity of sorts even outside the world of the NFL, due largely to the illegal dogfighting operation that he was a part of and that saw him spend time in jail and become fodder for more than just ESPN reports.

Now, it appears, Vick has gotten himself into even more trouble, having allegedly spent $1.3 million in pension plan funds for his own benefit. Among the money spent, it is further alleged that a portion of the amount spent went towards paying restitutions for the dogfighting conspiracy case. The U.S. Department of Labor filed the complaint yesterday in federal district and bankruptcy courts on the same day that Vick was released from federal prison in Kansas. The Department of Labor contends that Vick illegally made transfers of funds from a pension plan sponsored by MV7, a marketing company owned by Vick.

The Labor Department noted, "This action sends a message that the Labor Department will not tolerate the misuse of plan money and will take whatever steps necessary to recover the assets owed to eligible workers." On Wednesday, Vick was at a federal transfer facility in Oklahoma after leaving Leavenworth Prison. It is unknown where Vick will go from there, but it is assumed that he will move to southeaster Virginia shortly to await the hearing in jail. Vick’s plan to repay his creditors is based largely on a successful return to the NFL.