Former Michigan State and Pittsburgh Steelers star Le’Veon Bell is facing legal trouble once again after being arrested over the weekend in connection with an alleged failure to pay child support.
According to TMZ Sports, Bell was taken into custody after authorities acted on a Michigan child support case. The former NFL All-Pro reportedly owes more than $50,000 in unpaid child support.
Attorney Says Payments Were Based on NFL Earnings
Bell’s attorney, Thomas Shaffer, told TMZ Sports that the former running back has struggled to keep up with child support obligations because the payments were originally calculated based on the lucrative NFL salary he earned during the prime of his career.
Bell has not played in the NFL in several years, and his attorney argues that his financial situation has changed dramatically since those support obligations were established.
Shaffer also said Bell recently used his entire $50,000 NFL pension payment earlier this year to make child support payments.
Arrest Came During Ohio Trip
The child support case is being handled by the Michigan Attorney General’s Office because the child involved resides in Michigan.
Bell currently lives in California, but he was in Ohio over the weekend attending an autograph signing in Canton before his arrest.
His attorney told TMZ Sports that Bell intends to explain his current financial circumstances to the judge as the case moves forward.
Another Legal Challenge for Bell
The arrest marks another chapter in a difficult stretch of legal issues for the former NFL star.
Last year, Bell was ordered to pay $25 million in a default judgment after failing to appear in court in connection with a 2024 sexual abuse lawsuit.
Bell, who starred at Michigan State before becoming one of the NFL’s premier running backs with the Pittsburgh Steelers, has not played in a regular-season NFL game since the 2021 season.
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