Bill Romanowski, ex-NFL star, files for bankruptcy amid tax case

Former NFL linebacker Bill Romanowski and his wife Julie filed for bankruptcy on Monday amid allegations that they owe the U.S. government millions in unpaid taxes, court records show.

The bankruptcy filing came at a crucial time for the Romanowskis — less than 24 hours before a scheduled hearing Tuesday in the civil case that Justice Department attorneys filed against the couple last summer. U.S. attorneys allege the Romanowskis used a food company they founded to avoid tax obligations and now owe more than $15.5 million in back taxes.

Under federal law, filing bankruptcy will give the Romanowskis a temporary reprieve, triggering an automatic pause in the Justice Department’s efforts to collect the money allegedly owed.

The couple’s attorney did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

Romanowski, 58, spent parts of 16 seasons in the NFL with the Denver Broncos, San Francisco 49ers and two other teams, developing a reputation as a fiery and polarizing linebacker. He won four Super Bowl rings and recorded more than 1,000 career tackles, but he was also often embroiled in controversy and later admitted to using steroids during his playing career.

Attorneys for the Justice Department allege that Romanowski and his wife failed to pay millions in income taxes in the years before and after his retirement, which came after the 2003 season. In an effort to avoid reporting federal income and paying back those taxes, the couple then used money from Nutrition53, the nutritional supplement company they founded, to pay for personal expenses and those of their two children, government lawyers say.

According to court records, Bill and Julie Romanowski opened bank accounts on behalf of Nutrition53, but then used the money in those accounts to pay everything from rent for their 6,000-square-foot home in California to groceries, vet bills and “more than 1,700 square feet of meters’. visits to nail salons, hair salons and spas.”

Nutrition53, which was also named as a defendant in the federal lawsuit, filed for bankruptcy last fall. Justice Department attorneys have since filed a motion for a default judgment against the Romanowskis, asking a judge to immediately rule in the government’s favor. A hearing on this motion was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.

Contact Tom Schad at [email protected] or on social media @Tom_Schad.

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