The wife of former Michigan State University head football coach Mel Tucker has filed for divorce, accusing him of seeking an injunction that took money out of their joint fund without notice, including $1.5 million to pay legal fees.
Joe Ellin and Mel Tucker were granted a mutual restraining order Thursday by a judge in Ingham County, Michigan, which prevents them from “dissipating their marital assets,” according to court records. Her divorce petition was filed in court three weeks earlier, on April 5th.
In her petition for a restraining order, Joe Erin Tucker said she sought the restraining order because Mel Tucker withdrew all of her money from two retirement accounts, including one at Michigan State, just before she filed for divorce. Ta. She said he transferred them to a personal account that she did not have access to.
She also accused Tucker of spending more than $1.5 million from the couple's joint line of credit to defend himself in a third-party lawsuit, which she said was not marital expense, and added that since filing for divorce , as recently as April 23, added another $100,000. Her petition says he spent too much on the case “compared to the balance of the parties' marital assets.”
Mel Tucker and his attorney did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.
Mel Tucker was sued in Ingham County Court in October by high-profile rape victim and activist Brenda Tracy, accusing her of sexually harassing and exploiting him, an allegation that was substantiated by an MSU investigation. There is. She was granted a restraining order to prevent him from publishing private text messages obtained from the cell phone of her late girlfriend's best friend and business assistant, but the messages contained no personal or business information. It contained information. That lawsuit is ongoing.
Last month, Ms. Tracy also filed an intent to sue Mr. Tucker and the university, a necessary precursor to a lawsuit against the government agency, alleging that Mr. Tucker harmed his reputation and future income, interfered with his philanthropic work, and He is accused of causing serious mental and emotional harm.
Tracy and Set the Expectation, a nonprofit organization that aims to reduce sexual violence by engaging men, are seeking more than $75 million in damages.
Mel Tucker hired Tracy in August 2021 to speak to his team about sexual violence prevention. After their first meeting, he became interested in Tracy's philosophy of involving men as solutions to gender-based violence, and the two developed a professional relationship and friendship. The following year, Tucker invited Tracy to East Lansing twice, first as honorary captain for a Spartans football game and once to train with future coaches and players.
USA TODAY investigation:Michigan State University football coach Mel Tucker accused of sexually harassing rape victim
During that time, Tucker made a series of romantic advances toward Tracy, who later told campus investigators that she walked a tightrope to set boundaries with Tucker while maintaining a business partnership. Each time, she said, he initially retreated, but then resumed his advances, increasing in intensity. The pattern culminated in an April 2022 phone call in which Tracy said Tucker masturbated and made sexual comments to her without her consent.
Tracy said their next (and last) conversation was in August 2022, when Tucker threatened to ruin her career if she talked about his actions. She filed her complaint with the university's Title IX office in December of that year.
The allegations were first made public in a USA TODAY investigation in September. MSU fired Tucker for cause two weeks later, waiving the roughly $75 million left on his record 10-year, $95 million contract. Athletic Director Alan Haller said that even Tucker's interpretation that he and Tracy were in a romantic relationship and had consensual “phone sex” amounted to a fireable offense. , stated in the dismissal letter.
After a seven-month investigation by an outside investigator hired by MSU, another outside hearing officer concluded in October that Tucker sexually harassed and exploited Tracy in an April 2022 phone call. Eight months prior to the phone call, he made sexual advances toward her that she did not want. After he ended their business relationship with her, she sexually harassed him in return.
Another outside attorney hired by MSU dismissed Mr. Tucker's appeal in January, affirming a hearing officer's decision that Mr. Tracy's account was more plausible, consistent, and supported by evidence. .
Mr. Tucker and his attorney have indicated they intend to sue MSU for wrongful termination. So far, they have not done so.
Kenny Jacoby is an investigative reporter for USA TODAY, covering sexual misconduct and Title IX. Email kjacoby@usatoday.com or follow us at X @kennyjacoby.
