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Bad week for Bubba the Love Sponge; bank says he owes $75K

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Bubba the Love Sponge Clem is not having a good week.

In addition to a former girlfriend seeking an injunction for domestic violence, the well-known and controversial Tampa radio shock-jock is being sued by Bank of America over a $75,000 line of credit.

The 50-year-old Clem, who owns Bubba Radio Network, Inc., obtained the line of credit in July 2013 from Bank of America for his business, with Bubba Clem personally guaranteeing repayment.

According to a suit filed Feb. 24 in Hillsborough County Circuit Court, the bank is accusing Bubba Radio and Clem of defaulting on the loan.

“On November 23, 2016, Plaintiff declared Bubba Radio in default under the terms of the Line of Credit as a result of such failure and demanded that Bubba Radio pay the aggregate amount outstanding under the Line of Credit,” the suit says. “Bubba Radio failed to pay in full all principal, interest, and other charges outstanding under the Line of Credit despite the Bank’s demand for payment.”

As of Jan. 31, 2017, the bank says both Bubba Radio Network and Bubba Clem owe the full $75,000 in principal, plus nearly $1,000 in interest. Court records show interest “pursuant to the Loan Documents continues to accrue at a rate of $9.38 per diem.”

Bank of America is seeking payment.

In January, Beasley Media Group, a subsidiary of Beasley Broadcast Group, dropped Bubba’s show from Tampa’s WBRN-FM 98.7, leaving his show only on WRXK-FM 98-Rock in Fort Myers.

As of Feb. 13, the Bubba show was picked up by Tampa’s WWBA-AM 820.

Over the years, the former Todd Alan Clem has been involved in a variety of lawsuits and legal action throughout the Tampa Bay area.

In 2011, Clem sued then-wife Heather Dawn Clem for divorce. Later, both Heather and Bubba made national headlines when a 2006 sex tape involving Heather and pro-wrestler Hulk Hogan was leaked to the gossip website Gawker. Clem and Hogan settled a related lawsuit out of court.

Ten years earlier, Clem faced animal cruelty charges after an on-air castration and slaughter of a pig, of which he was later acquitted. In 2004, he was fired by Clear Channel Communications after amassing $755,000 in Federal Communications Commission fines for indecent behavior.

In 2013, Clem also successfully sued rival radio DJ Todd Schnitt for defamation.

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