Casey Anthony came out of hiding today to speak at her bankruptcy hearing in Tampa, Florida.
Anthony said that doesn’t currently pay rent or utilities. According to Yahoo News , Anthony also said that she was unemployed.
The 26-year-old, who was wearing a short-sleeve white top, a black skirt and black heels, said that she has been living with friends since her trial ended.
Anthony said: “I don’t pay rent. I don’t pay utilities. I guess you could say I’m living free off the kindness of others.”
The Houston Chronicle reports that Anthony, who has stayed out of the spotlight since she was acquitted of murder in 2011, filed for bankruptcy this January. Anthony claims that she has about $1000 in assets and close to $800,000 in liabilities.
According to the Daily Mail , Anthony owes nearly $500,000 for attorney fees, another $150,000 to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, and close to $750,000 to the IRS in back taxes.
Anthony was able to make some money during her trial but most of that money went toward paying for her defense. Anthony said that ABC paid her $200,00 for a dozen photos in 2008 but that all of that money was gone. Anthony also said that she hasn’t received any offers for book or movie deals.
Anthony’s attorney Andy Chmelir said:
“Anthony needs closure to her life and at this point there’s no end in sight. She has no money. She has made no money from anything related to the criminal case.”
Here’s a video report about Casey Anthony’s bankruptcy hearing from WESH Channel 2.
Anthony may be broke but the court will look at more than just her debt and current income. The Inquisitr reported earlier that potential book deals will play a part in Anthony’s bankruptcy hearing as the court will question Anthony about her future earning abilities.
After Anthony was acquitted, several media outlets speculated that she would sign a book deal in order to alleviate her financial woes. Anthony claims that she has no plans to write a book but her creditors are worried that she is merely waiting until her debt is cleared before she inks a deal.
If Anthony truly has no intention of milking her trial for money, the 26-year-old will have to find another way to make money. Charles Green, one of Anthony’s attorneys, said that Anthony would love to find a job but that her options are severely limited. Anthony’s fame, as well as her negative public image, prevent her from working at many jobs.
Greene told the IB Times :
“She would like to get a job, I can assure you, but she can’t work at McDonald’s. People would be looking at her instead of at the menu … She’s better than many paralegals I know. She could be a paralegal or something like that right away. She is very organized, a very intelligent, very computer-savvy person, so I think her skills and her desire may lie somewhere in that field.”
Do you think Casey Anthony will be able to get rid of her debt?