Former Gophers star Jacobson charged with felony in home sale case
HASTINGS, Minn. -- Former NBA player Sam Jacobson and his wife are charged with felonies in the sale of a Minnesota home five years ago.
Jacobson and his wife, Traci Jacobson, each were charged Tuesday with theft by false representation and theft by swindle. They're due in court Oct. 24.
The charges stem from the August 2011 short sale of Sam Jacobson's Apple Valley home to Traci Jacobson, who went by Traci Quam and was his live-in girlfriend at the time.
According to the charges, the sale barred Jacobson from remaining in the home and included an "arm's length" condition. But investigators say Jacobson and his three children did not move out. Quam later sold the home for $538,000, netting a profit of $176,000, and bought the house where the couple still lives.
Sam Jacobson's attorney, Ryan Garry, tells the Star Tribune his client committed no crime.
Traci Jacobson's attorney, Patrick Cotter, says he's confident "there was no criminal intent."
Jacobson was chosen by the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the 1998 NBA draft, and helped lead the Minnesota Gophers to a (later vacated) appearance in the 1997 Final Four.
