On a Spree

[skippy]

Latrell Sprewell named in $200 million NYC palimony suit

By LARRY NEUMEISTER, Associated Press Writer

January 29, 2007

NEW YORK (AP) -- The mother of four of former NBA star Latrell Sprewell's children sued him for $200 million Monday, alleging Sprewell broke their long-term cohabitation deal and roughed her up last month in their Westchester County home. Candace Cabbil brought the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, saying Sprewell recently ended the arrangement that developed after they met in 1989 when both attended the University of Alabama.

"I certainly have no comment about that at this point," said Jonathan C. Smith, an attorney for Sprewell.

The lawsuit says that on Sept. 8, Sprewell broke his promise to share his life and fortune with Cabbil when he entered their Purchase, N.Y., home and announced they needed "to end this fake" relationship.

Sprewell started giving Cabbil less money than usual for household expenses and for their children, ages 3, 7, 8 and 11, and made himself scarce when she tried to find him, the lawsuit says. The lawsuit said Cabbil also was the guardian for a 16-year-old child Sprewell fathered with another woman.

It alleges that, in December, Sprewell entered their home, chased Cabbil around and smacked her hand to prevent her from trying to use a cell phone to call police. Then he allegedly grabbed her and dragged her down a flight of stairs by her feet, causing her physical and emotional injury.

According to the lawsuit, the encounter brought a violent end to a relationship that belied earlier promises that she had "nothing to worry about" and she "owned everything he owned" despite his failure to marry or to put her name on the home he bought for $3 million in 2000.

Cabbil, who gave up a $25,000 job at a hospital to have their first child in 1995, said in the lawsuit that there was rarely less than $100,000 in the couple's joint bank account.

Sprewell also hired a baby sitter and a house cleaner, bought Cabbil new cars and registered Cabbil as his wife with the National Basketball Association so she could receive health insurance, the lawsuit said.

When Sprewell was traded from the New York Knicks to the Minnesota Timberwolves in July 2003, the couple agreed that Cabbil and the children would remain in Purchase, the lawsuit said.

Instead of returning to his family in New York, Sprewell chose to live on a yacht he had purchased in Wisconsin, the lawsuit said.

Sprewell, who lives in River Hills, Wis., near Milwaukee, played 13 NBA seasons, most recently with the Timberwolves in the 2004-05 season. He was a four-time All-Star. Sprewell has not played professional basketball since turning down a three-year, $21 million extension from Minnesota.