Manziel tries to reassure judge after missing court deadline
Civil Litigation News
After missing a court-ordered deadline, Johnny Manziel appeared before a judge Tuesday and promised to meet the stipulations required to get the troubled quarterback's domestic violence case dismissed while saying his distrust of the NFL played a part in the delay.
The 2012 Heisman Trophy winner said he doesn't want to disappoint Judge Roberto Canas, who warned that he or a jury could decide Manziel's fate if the deal reached in November is revoked.
The 24-year-old Manziel faced a misdemeanor charge that carried a penalty of up to a year in jail and a $4,000 fine after he was accused of hitting and threatening former girlfriend Colleen Crowley during a night out in January 2016. The judge said he called the hearing because Manziel missed a deadline for an update on the progress of meeting his conditions, including one that requires the former Cleveland Browns player to work through the NFL or another agency on a substance-abuse program.
Asked by the judge to explain how things would be going forward, Manziel said he responded quickly when attorney Jim Darnell told him the judge wasn't happy.
"Since that day everything's been going extremely smoothly and my life is trending upward," Manziel said in a 70-second statement. "I don't even want to let this get anywhere near the rabbit hole that you were describing. I'm taking this responsibility. This is helping me get my life back together."
Manziel said he was slow to get the process started in part because he was hesitant to work with the NFL. He said the involvement of the NFL Players Association, which administers the league's drug program, also slowed the process.
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Thai National Sentenced, Faces Deportation for Operating Immigration Fraud Scheme
Nimon Naphaeng, 36, a native and citizen of Thailand, who resided in Wakefield, R.I., was sentenced Monday to 27 months in federal prison for running an immigration fraud scheme that defrauded more than 320 individuals, most of them immigrants, of at least $400,000, and perhaps more than $518,000.
The scheme included the unauthorized filing of false asylum applications on behalf of individuals who did not request, nor authorize, the applications.
“U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services does not tolerate immigration fraud of any kind,” said Susan Raufer, director of the USCIS Newark Asylum Office. “We are proud of our role in uncovering this fraud scheme and bringing the perpetrator to justice.”
At sentencing, U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith ordered a provisional amount of restitution of $400,000. The final amount of restitution will be determined subject to additional victims being identified and additional court filings over the next 90 days. According to court documents already filed by the government, restitution in this matter may exceed $518,300. During the investigation, the government seized $285,789.31 from Naphaeng. The forfeited funds will be applied toward restitution for victims of Naphaeng’s crimes.