A Franklin County, Ohio, jury reportedly awarded $25 million in damages against former NFL running back Le’Veon Bell and a separate $11 million against his brother, La’Vonte Bell. Bell’s attorney denied the allegations and disputed whether Bell was properly served. The reported award followed a default judgment and a later proceeding to determine damages; it was a civil judgment, not a criminal conviction.
What the jury awarded
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that a Franklin County jury ruled on February 26, 2025, that Le’Veon Bell owed the plaintiff $25 million. The jury separately awarded $11 million against his brother, La’Vonte Bell. The $11 million award was not against Le’Veon Bell.
The figures are reported damages awards in a civil case. They do not establish a criminal conviction.
Why the case resulted in a damages proceeding
According to NBC Sports’ ProFootballTalk and TMZ, the plaintiff filed suit in March 2024, and a default judgment was entered in October 2024. A later proceeding addressed the amount of damages; ProFootballTalk reported that this damages trial took place in Bell’s absence.
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A default judgment and a damages proceeding are distinct from a contested trial on liability. The available reporting does not establish that the allegations were tested in a contested liability trial, so the awards should not be described as findings made after such a trial.
Bell’s denial and the dispute over service
Bell’s attorney, Thomas Shaffer, denied the allegations and argued that Bell had not been properly served with the lawsuit. The Post-Gazette quoted Shaffer saying, “I’m drafting a motion to strike, to open the judgment, because of the improper service,” in March 2025. That is his stated position, not a judicial finding that service was improper.
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The plaintiff’s attorney, John Camillus, told WOSU that Bell had been served. The competing claims about service are unresolved in the cited reports.
What is known about a challenge to the judgment
WOSU reported that Shaffer said he would try to have the judgment set aside. The cited accounts establish that intention as of March 2025; they do not establish whether a motion was later filed or how the court ruled. Without a current Franklin County Court of Common Pleas docket entry, it is not possible to say whether the judgment remains in place, was changed, or was set aside.
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Criminal case status in the reporting
WOSU reported on March 13, 2025, that neither Bell brother had been criminally charged in connection with the matter. That is a dated report and does not verify their status at a later date.
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