On 90 Day Fiance: Love In Paradise, Scott Wern appears to be a successful respiratory therapist able to afford trips around the world looking for love and making it rain on potential female suitors.
In reality, Scott was recently in New York living out of his car and asking his social media followers for money so he could get back to Florida. He also revealed that he will be filing for bankruptcy soon, which looks to be the FOURTH time for the 52-year-old.
In case you missed it, Scott got the 90 Day Fianceverse buzzing earlier this month when he posted a video revealing he was stuck in New York and living out of his car. (Video included below.)
In the video, Scott is shirtless and in the driver’s seat of his vehicle, which is located in the parking lot of a Planet Fitness gym where he is working out and showering. Scott is very emotional throughout the video as he confesses his actual financial situation.
Scott says he suffered a stroke last year, and since then he hasn’t been able to do his job as a respiratory therapist due to memory issues and anxiety. “Financially, I put a lot of things on the backburner the last couple years,” he says. “You know, I probably owe the IRS like $30,000. And $100,000 for credit cards I’ve maxed out.”
According to Scott’s Instagram, he suffered an ischemic stroke in July of 2022.
Perhaps the most emotional moment for Scott in the video is when he reveals that someone is watching his dog and it’s going to cost “another, like, $2,000” to get her back.
It probably goes without saying, but I assume that part of Scott’s $100,000 in credit card debt over the past couple years was because of international trips and spending money on women?
I don’t need to offer up criticism of Scott’s plea for pity because Madzie does a fantastic job doing that with this YouTube commentary clip, which includes Scott’s video:
Scott’s plea for sympathy (and money) didn’t go over too well, including numerous blog posts calling him out. In response, Scott shared an angry video on Instagram on Wednesday bashing his less-than-sympathetic critics. The video has since been deleted.
Scott suggests that his haters stop creating fake narratives and tell the truth instead.
How about the fact that I was broke, I was living out of my car and had no money? And people were kind enough to reach out to me and get me enough money to get home? How about the fact that I’ve got $30,000 in medical bills from my stroke? How about that I’m filing a Chapter 7 bankruptcy that will be public soon? How about that? How about let’s just beat Scott up when he’s down?
https://www.instagram.com/p/CuDo1wmgVMn/
Scott Wern’s previous bankruptcies
In his shirtless parking lot pity party video, Scott suggests that he has found himself in a uniquely bad situation. However, owing enough money to declare bankruptcy is apparently a cyclical thing for Scott that happens about every nine years.
According to court records, Scott has filed for bankruptcy three times. The two most recent filings were in 2005 (with his wife at the time) and 2014. Scott previously filed by himself in 1992.
Unfortunately, the copies of Scott’s 1992 bankruptcy filing are not easily obtained. However, we can see the docket entries, which indicate that it was a Chapter 7 (liquidation) filing and a final decree was issued in February of 1993.
Scott and his wife filed for Chapter 13 (repayment plan) bankruptcy in January of 2005. They listed $310,317 in total liabilities at the time, but most all of that was the $168,803 they owed on their home, and $78,678 they owed on four vehicles and a motorcycle. All of the vehicles and the motorcycle were less than five years old at the time.
Scott Wern filed for divorce in October of 2013 and the divorce was finalized in December of that year.
Less than three months after the divorce was finalized, Scott filed for Chapter 7 (liquidation) bankruptcy in February of 2014.
Scott’s total liabilities were $260,013, but nearly $148,000 of that was secured claims on the house and a car that his ex-wife was in possession of after their divorce.
The home purchased by Scott and his ex-wife is mentioned in the filing because Scott’s name was still on the first and second mortgages for the property. The filing states that Scott’s “ex-spouse retains property as her homestead and makes all payments. Ex-spouse is the only one on the deed.”
Scott’s ex-wife was “making payments” on the vehicle in her possession as well.
In stark contrast to his ex-wife, Scott was apparently not making payments on his vehicles. Yes, that is plural.
In the bankruptcy filing, Scott lists three vehicles that were repossessed: a Camaro, a Mustang, and a Prius. The total “deficiency balance” for the repossessions was more than $35,500. However, Scott actually owed more than $69,000!
If I’m reading that correctly, Scott owed over $23,000 more than the cars were worth? Oh, and he lost a Honda Civic due to fire. Scott lists an “estimated loan balance” of $931 on the Honda if the insurance company deemed it a total loss.
Some of Scott’s other debts listed in the filing:
• $28,729 for 13 different credit cards. However, the balance for two of the cards is listed as “unknown.” I should point out that one of the credit cards was from Kay Jewelers.
• $11,740 in federal taxes dating back to 2009.
• $23,145 for three “personal loans.”
Scott’s employment – or lack thereof
Scott indicates that he is “not employed” at the time of the filing. He listed his income as $300 a month, but that was “contribution from family/friend” and not from employment.
Amazingly, Scott states in the filing that his monthly expenses were just $295 a month, which included $145 a month for phone, internet and cable services. He was also paying $100 a month for transportation, and $50 a month for life insurance.
Scott’s rental or home ownership expenses were zero, as was his monthly cost of “food and housekeeping supplies.”
Scott was employed in the six months prior to the filing, as well as the two previous years. He made an average of more than $60,000 in 2012 and 2013.
He states that in the six months prior to the filing he received $784 a month as a “contribution from girlfriend.” (Initially I thought that might be Scott’s half of the rent, but then he would have been required to list that rental expense, correct?)
Oh, and it seems Scott couldn’t even afford to file for bankruptcy. The attorney states in the filing that he received $2,000 in payment from “debtor’s girlfriend and debtor.”
The Discharge of Debtor was entered in May of 2014, and the case was closed in July of 2014.
The bankrupty paperwork clearly states: “You can only receive a Chapter 7 discharge once every eight (8) years,”so the nine-year cycle makes sense.
The bankruptcy paperwork clearly states: “You can only receive a Chapter 7 discharge once every eight (8) years,” but it’s hard to believe there isn’t a cap on how many times you can declare bankruptcy in a lifetime. Scott mentions that he will be filing again soon, so we will certainly be keeping an eye out for that. Stay tuned!
Asa Hawks is a writer and editor for Starcasm. You can contact Asa via Twitter, Facebook, or email at starcasmtips(at)yahoo.com
