Former NFL star called ‘slumlord’ punished in Cleveland: I-Team
CLEVELAND (WJW) – The FOX 8 I-Team has found a former football star ordered to fix up a rundown apartment building in Cleveland.
Last week, the law director in Cleveland called Manti Te’o a slum landlord a housing court judge sentenced him Thursday.
The judge ordered Te’o to make repairs at a building owned by his company. He also has to present a specific plan and timetable to get it done.
Te’o is a former star at Notre Dame and in the NFL. He also made headlines when he fell for a scam and what turned out to be a fake girlfriend.
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Now, he heads a company that owns 20 properties in Cleveland, including an apartment building in the 4100 block of East 142th Street.
Last week, we revealed Te’o pleaded no contest on behalf of his company to 10 charges tied to housing code violations at that property on E. 142th.
For the sentencing hearing, Te’o appeared by computer through a Zoom link. A housing court judge would not allow FOX 8 to record it, but we watched Te’o raise his right hand and take an oath to tell the truth. He sat there with a framed football jersey behind him.
“There were some issues with prior property management companies. It wasn’t at the level I wanted it to be,” he told the court.
He also added that he wants to make sure “we do our best to make sure our tenants are taken care of.”
The court placed the company, Te’o Legacy, on probation for two years.
Te’o and his company have to come up with a detailed plan for repairs and a schedule. If he fails to follow court orders, he could face a $50,000 fine.
He also has to make repairs at another property and allow inspections at others. Additionally, he has to attend a workshop for landlords.
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Jazmine Johnson told us she used to live in that property on East 142nd Street.
“It wasn’t safe, you know? It wasn’t healthy for me and my children,” she said. “I even reached out to Mr. Te’o’s family. I contacted him on Instagram because the management company wouldn’t give me his information.”
“The bug problem was horrible,” she went on to say. “The back steps, you couldn’t use because they were wobbly. The doors were not secure.”
Last week, the city of Cleveland law director even referred to Te’o as a slumlord.
“It’s not too strong. We expect everyone to follow our rules and keep up our housing,” Mark Griffin said.
We’re told the way the court handled this case falls in line with the way most of these kinds of cases are handled.
When Te’o was ordered to attend the workshop for landlords, he told the court he “absolutely” will be there.
“If you’re providing things for people, and people are paying you, you need to provide the correct service,” Johnson said.
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