Ryan Howard Reaches Settlement In Nasty Fraud Suit Involving Family Members

Philadelphia Phillies star first baseman Ryan Howard has reached an undisclosed settlement with family members stemming from the filing of a pair of lucrative suits over the mismanagement of his baseball amassed fortune.

According to The Philadelphia News, Howard was initially sued by his twin brother and “lifetime confidant” in late 2013 related to the alleged misappropriation of some $2.7 million in funds. Howard later counter-sued about a month after alleging fraud and mismanagement. The two sides only reached settlement last month.

Filed in Howard’s home state of Missouri, court documents reveal a family in complete chaos and at total war. The News reports Howard’s brother, Corey, alleged that he was unjustly fired from as a consultant from a legal contract he had entered into in with his brother.

In terminating his brother, Howard also charged his father, Ron, mother, Cheryl, and other brothers had also been pilfering away his funds without his knowledge or consent.

“Ron Howard is the family patriarch,” Howard countered in his legal filing. “When he gave orders, directions or suggestions to family members, they were not to be questioned. It was considered wrong to disagree with him.”

At one point Ron Howard’s ironclad rule even applied to Howard, the suit further alleges. So much so, that Howard maintains he accepted his father’s advice and instruction to put his finances in the hands of his family. After winning the National League MVP award in 2006, Howard also incorporated a company called RJH Enterprises, into which he invested at least some $8 million.

Howard further claimed his family was paid nearly $3 million in earnings over the years, all of it simply based on his mom’s authorization. Howard insists he didn’t learn of the payments until he took over the company in July of 2012.

Ironically, Howard also claims the thought of checking on his finances never dawned on him until he watched a TV show titled “Broke” about “the financial plight of now financially depressed athletes who largely suffered after entrusting many of their business operations to family members.”

After signing a five-year $125 million extension with the Phillies in 2010, Howard moved to align himself with the Creative Artists Agency, turning over all his promotional and marketing efforts to the firm.