VH1‘s Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta cast member Steven “Stevie J” Jordan appeared in a New York court earlier Tuesday (Feb. 10) and faced a federal judge. Stevie J is in the legal hot seat after failing to pay over $1 million in child support, pleading not guilty in the matter.
Stevie J, a former producer with Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Bad Boy Entertainment label, has been a member of Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta in a recurring role since 2012. The police arrested the reality star last June, and Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara offered in a statement last summer that Jordan was targeted then for “failing to pay over $1 million in child support obligations with respect to two children.”
The New York Daily News reported on the happenings of Jordan’s visit to the Manhattan Federal Court. He was seen leaving the court with his wife and show co-star, Joseline Hernandez.
More from the Daily News:
The reality star and former in-house beatmaker for P. Diddy is charged with failing to pay more than $1 million in child support for two kids despite making $27,000 a month as a star of the VH1 show.
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Judge Paul Crotty said it was “strange” the case was being tried in Manhattan Federal Court instead of state court, which sat well with Jordan.
“I’ve been waiting for a judge who understands what I’m going through,” Jordan said.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew DeFilippis said trying the case in federal court was a last resort.
“There is a history in this case of the failure of Family Court to address this successfully,” he said.
The prosecutors’ statement in 2014 says that between January 2013 and August 2013, Jordan earned around $193,000 for appearing on Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta. Jordan elected to not voluntarily pay his obligation, and instead had around $18, 566 garnished from his earnings and applied to his child support fees.
The $1 million child support tag was accumulated over the course of 10 years. Jordan was placed in jail last June for the failure to pay charges. He was indicted by a New York grand jury in the case.
Forever the pitch man, Jordan plugged the fourth season of Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta and new music from his wife.
If convicted, Stevie J could face up to a maximum of two years in prison.
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Photo: Instagram
