GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A judge has recommended that the ex-wife of former Major League Baseball player Chad Curtis, who was convicted of molesting teen girls, should be a party in a lawsuit against him.
After Curtis was convicted of sexually assaulting four student athletes at Lakewood High School, where he volunteered, he settled lawsuits with all but one of the teens. In October 2017, the remaining teen was awarded $1.8 million in damages. But Curtis claimed he didn't have any money.
However, a federal lawsuit filed last month claimed Curtis transferred nearly all his assets — money, cars and property — to his now-ex-wife Candace Curtis so he could avoid payouts to the victims. As evidence, the lawsuit put forth recorded prison phone calls between the two that outlined their plot.
Federal court documents say Candace Curtis didn't dispute the lawsuit's evidence and instead tried to argue the court doesn't have jurisdiction over the matter. In a ruling filed Monday, the magistrate handling the case disagreed and said she should be held party.
Chad Curtis, 49, is serving up to 15 years in prison for the assaults. His earliest parole date is in 2020.