McFadden files 3rd suit over finances

NFL player says assets transferred to former adviser’s sister, her husband

Dallas Cowboys running back Darren McFadden, a former Arkansas Razorback, on Friday filed a third lawsuit in federal court in Little Rock over the management of his finances when he was on the precipice of becoming a professional football player.

This time, McFadden's lawsuit names Pulaski County residents Jacqueline Vick, the sister of McFadden's former manager and financial adviser Michael Vick, and her husband, Cheo Clark.

McFadden first sued Michael Vick last June, alleging that the former financial adviser took advantage of the young football star beginning in 2008 and misappropriated millions of dollars. Vick -- who is not the former National Football League quarterback of the same name who served time in prison for his role in a dog-fighting ring -- has denied the allegations in the lawsuit.

A week ago Friday, McFadden filed a second lawsuit with similar allegations, this time naming as a defendant the company for which Vick worked when he began managing the finances of McFadden, a longtime friend. The lawsuit accuses Ameriprise Financial Services Inc. of negligence and of actively concealing Michael Vick's manipulative actions.

The latest lawsuit targets Vick's sister, alleging that the former adviser transferred assets to her with the intent to further hinder, delay or defraud McFadden.

"Specifically, on or around Aug. 15, 2016, months after .... McFadden's demands that Michael Vick provide an accounting of [McFadden's] funds, and after the filing of the Michael Vick action, Michael Vick transferred the multi-family property located at 1508 & 1512 S. Battery St., Little Rock ... to Defendant Jacqueline Vick for the sum of $289,000," the lawsuit alleges.

The lawsuit further alleges that "in order to conceal the fraudulent nature of the transfer, Michael Vick and Jacqueline Vick structured the transaction as if Jacqueline Vick was paying $500,000 as the purchase price for the property. ... In reality, the closing documents reflect that $211,000 of the purported purchase price was credited to Defendant Jacqueline Vick at closing" with a notation calling it a gift of equity from Michael Vick Jr.

Real estate records are attached to the lawsuit.

A telephone number couldn't be found Friday evening for Jacqueline Vick or Clark.

The lawsuit asserts that the transferred property had a value of $700,000.

It alleges that Jacqueline Vick and her husband, who received an interest in the property by virtue of being her husband, "directly benefited from Michael Vick's systematic theft and misappropriation of [McFadden's] capital and property."

The suit alleges fraudulent transfer of property, and asks the court to void the transactions or grant McFadden's attachment against the property to be applied to the satisfaction of his claims against Michael Vick. It also asks that Jacqueline Vick and Clark be prohibited from transferring the property again, and that a receiver be appointed to "take charge of the property and collect the rents therefrom."

In addition to compensatory damages, the suit also seeks punitive damages and reimbursement for the cost of litigation.

The latest case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Leon Holmes. The suit filed against Ameriprise is pending before U.S. District Judge James Moody Jr. The suit McFadden filed last year against Michael Vick is pending before U.S. District Judge Kristine Baker.

Metro on 05/27/2017

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