Published: 2011-07-23 08:56:04
Author: Rachael Myers Lowe | The Herald | July 23, 2011
Former University of South Carolina football star and NFL player Rick Sanford, 54, has pleaded guilty to bankruptcy fraud in federal court and was given probation.
The Columbia chiropractor was sentenced to two years' probation, 30 days' home confinement and 100 hours of community service, Bill Nettles, U.S. attorney for South Carolina, said in a statement Friday.
Sanford's legal troubles began in February 2009, when he filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. He failed to list among his assets the part-interest he owned in a condominium in Vail, Colo. The share netted $70,000 when it was sold.
Under a Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing, most of the debtor's assets are subject to being sold to pay creditors. Any remaining debt is erased, giving the filer a fresh start.
When Sanford's list of assets was challenged by a federal bankruptcy trustee, he withdrew his bankruptcy petition.
Born in Rock Hill, Sanford graduated from Northwestern High School and attended USC on a football scholarship, making a name for himself as a defensive back.
After the 1978 season, he was chosen as an All-American. He made Gamecock history in 1979 by becoming the first USC football player to be an NFL first-round draft pick. He played for the New England Patriots and was named to the 1983 All-Pro team.