Bobby Bonilla's Million-Dollar Ghost | New York Mets News

Every July 1st, Bobby Bonilla still gets a $1 million check from the Mets — a bizarre payday born from a 2001 contract deferral that’s now set to last until 2035. Once a star, he hasn’t played since 2001, but thanks to a deal that included 8% interest, he’s cashing in nearly $30 million over 25 years. The twist? The Mets’ owner at the time, Fred Wilpon, planned to use Madoff’s Ponzi scheme to fund the interest — a gamble that backfired spectacularly. Now, this infamous contract is a cautionary tale in baseball, echoing through every summer as a financial ghost haunting the Mets — and a growing trend as players like Shohei Ohtani embrace deferred pay. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/606baa4ce85f539f