National Football League

Feds to auction items from ex-NFL player's brother

Published Dec. 12, 2014 12:49 p.m. ET

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FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) Federal officials are pushing ahead to auction off property owned by the brother of a former NFL player who faces sentencing on marijuana-dealing charges.

U.S. District Court Judge Theresa Springmann in Fort Wayne signed a preliminary order of forfeiture Wednesday for 35-year-old Michael Fabini's property, The Journal Gazette reported (http://bit.ly/1wn2qIP ).

Fabini is the younger brother of former New York Jets offensive lineman Jason Fabini. He reached a plea agreement in November on one count each of drug trafficking conspiracy and engaging in a monetary transaction in property derived from drug trafficking. He's scheduled to be sentenced in March, with his plea agreement calling for 14 years in prison.

Fabini has agreed to forfeit $5 million, his Fort Wayne home, undisclosed cash amounts he has in a brokerage account and college savings plans, a wine collection and other property.

In her order, Springmann directed federal prosecutors to seize that property and to look for any additional property traceable to Fabini or substituted for assets listed in court papers.

Property listed in her order includes Fabini's sprawling Fort Wayne house, antiques, a nearly $4,000 poker table, a nearly $4,000 home theater projector, $500 bottles of wine and a $6,000 commercial lawn mower.

Fabini and Marshall Butler, 35, were indicted in early 2013 after a raid on Fabini's home and other properties in and around Fort Wayne.

Court documents tied them to Matthew McChesney, who's now serving 27 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to a gun charge and a charge of possession with intent to distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana.

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Information from: The Journal Gazette, http://www.journalgazette.net

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