German tennis legend Boris Becker released from bankruptcy court in London after a judge ruled Wednesday that he had done “everything he reasonably could” to repay tens of millions of dollars to his creditors.
Becker has failed to repay his creditors nearly $62.5 million he owes, but Insolvency and Companies Court Chief Judge Nicholas Briggs said it would be “perverse » not to terminate the case given the efforts made by Becker.
“On the bankrupt spectrum from ‘as difficult as possible and doing everything to thwart trustee investigations’ to ‘cooperative, providing information and delivering assets,’ Mr. Becker is clearly on the right side of the line.” , Briggs wrote.
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Becker, 56, was deported to Germany two years ago after serving 8 months in a London prison for illegally transferring large sums of money and hiding $3.1 million in assets after was declared bankrupt in 2017.
He had been found guilty by a London court of four charges under the Insolvency Act, including forfeiture of property, hiding debts and two counts of failing to disclose his estate. He was acquitted of 25 other charges, including nine counts of failing to turn over Grand Slam trophies and his Olympic gold medal to bankruptcy trustees.
Former tennis player Boris Becker arrives at Southwark Crown Court in London on April 8, 2022. The German tennis legend was released from bankruptcy court after a judge concluded on May 1, 2024 that he had done “everything what he could reasonably do. ” to repay creditors. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali, file)
He was sentenced to two and a half years in prison, but was released early under an expedited deportation program for foreign nationals.
Becker rose to fame in 1985, at the age of 17, when he became the first unseeded player to win the Wimbledon singles title. He went on to become the world’s No. 1 player, winning two titles at Wimbledon, two at the Australian Open and one at the US Open.
He retired from professional tennis in 1999 and worked as a coach, television commentator, investor and famous poker player.
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Becker blamed laziness and bad advice for his financial problems that led him to declare bankruptcy after owing creditors nearly $62.5 million on an unpaid loan of more than $3.75 million on his property in Mallorca, Spain.
Lawyer Katie Longstaff told a High Court hearing last month that the co-trustees did not oppose his efforts to end the case, but did not support them because he still owed around $52.5 million.
Becker’s lawyer, Louis Doyle, said the two sides had reached an agreement for a “substantial sum.” tennis is great must pay. The deal “includes outstanding trophies,” Doyle said, adding that Becker “can’t do more than he’s done to get us to this point.”
