Jack Johnson of the NHL’s Blue Jackets is filing for bankruptcy despite already earning more than $18 million during his career, not to mention the $5 million he will be paid this year.
The reason? Johnson’s earnings have allegedly been whisked away by his parents.
Sources close to Johnson, 27, told the Columbus Dispatch that his parents Jack Sr. and Tina Johnson, who have been handling his money since 2008, have utilized their full control of Johnson’s money by taking out at least $15 million in her son’s name against his future earnings.
His mother took out a series of high-interest loans from nonconventional lenders that eventually led to a series of defaults.
Johnson has been sued at least three times for more than $6 million for defaulting because the loans are in his name.
Johnson said in court documents that his parents bought a house on Manhattan Beach, California with his money without telling him.
Sources added that each parent bought a car and that they spent more than $800,000 on upgrades to the secret house as well as traveling, often to watch him play NHL games.
“Jack would ask (his parents) questions: ‘What’s this? What are these guys calling about?’ ” a source said. “And they would tell him not to worry about it, just worry about playing hockey.
“These were his parents, right? He trusted them. It wasn’t until last spring or early summer that he understood there was a significant problem.”
Johnson said in the bankruptcy filing that he has assets of less than $500,000 and debts of more than $10 million.
Johnson has already gotten into trouble for his financial situation, being suspended for three games on November 5 for writing an illegal check.
Johnson was forced to forfeit $70,276 for the suspension.
