Alec Bohm grew up in Omaha and starred at Wichita State before the Philadelphia Phillies made him the third overall pick in the 2018 MLB draft. He’s as Midwestern as they come.
Bohm usually doesn’t stand out, even at 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, with the nickname Raffe because a teammate thought he resembled a giraffe. He has retained the stereotypical Midwestern qualities of humility and consistency, fitting in well with veteran Phillies stars Bryce Harper, Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber.
Beneath the surface, however, Bohm has faced obstacles and oddities, including a frightening elbow infection and a viral social media post touting his generosity that was untrue.
Yet nothing compares to the news that he sued his parents this week on the eve of opening day, accusing them of draining staggering amounts of his money from four financial accounts they created.
The lawsuit describes deceptive financial dealings by Dan and Lisa Bohm that began shortly after the Phillies paid Bohm a $5.85 million signing bonus in 2018 and continued for years. Bohm alleges that his parents used his cash from the four limited liability companies to pay their expenses.
Through their attorney, Bohm’s parents said they are “deeply saddened by the allegations” and will defend themselves.
“Mr. and Mrs. Bohm love their son very much and have always acted in his best interests, both personally and professionally, and still do so to this day,” lawyer Robert Eckard said.
Bohm’s lawsuit demands at least $3 million in damages and that his parents relinquish control of the accounts. He also requests that an accountant track every transaction that involved money transferred from Bohm’s personal accounts to the accounts his parents controlled.
Bohm declined to comment on the lawsuit after Thursday’s opening-day game in which he hit a three-run home run in a Phillies victory.
A 2024 All-Star, Bohm has batted .280 with 71 home runs in six seasons. He is making $10.2 million in 2026, his last season of arbitration, and earned an additional $20 million or so from his signing bonus and salaries in his first five seasons.
Bohm’s lawsuit also alleges his parents used money from the Alec Bohm Foundation to pay their expenses. Dan and Lisa Bohm, who a few years ago sold their home and title insurance business in Elkhorn, Neb., to travel to their son’s games in a recreational vehicle, remain listed as directors of the foundation.
According to the MLB.com “Beyond the Bell” blog, online tax documents indicated Bohm had given $675,000 to the foundation through 2022. The blog said the foundation “helped drill about a half-dozen water wells in Africa” while also assisting Nemours Children’s Health hospital in Philadelphia and Covenant House Pennsylvania, which serves runaway, homeless and trafficked youth in the Philadelphia area.
“I learned from a young age to help those less fortunate,” Bohm told MLB.com at the time. “My parents and I were often involved in local church efforts. We helped others whenever we could.”
None of those donations is listed on the foundation’s website, which states that the “Alec Bohm Foundation’s mission is to inspire philanthropy and create a meaningful impact in communities nationwide. We do this by cultivating generosity, strengthening nonprofits and initiatives, and engaging the community around issues elevated by Alec.
“Our investments are guided by Alec’s passions — which include high school and collegiate athletics, medical research and innovation, and the eradication of homelessness.”
Bohm was a late bloomer in high school, growing so fast that he required elbow surgery between his junior and senior years. A plate and screw inserted in his elbow to fix a growth plate injury became infected and required emergency treatment.
Gangly and awkward, Bohm was not drafted out of high school or offered a scholarship by Nebraska, his school of choice. He blossomed at Wichita State and by his junior year became one of the nation’s top MLB prospects.
Bohm, 29, soon cemented himself as the Phillies’ everyday third baseman, and he has been a consistent cog on a team that has made four consecutive postseason appearances. Still, a strange, viral Facebook post in 2025 caused a distraction.
The post on a Phillies fan page proclaimed that Bohm had donated his “entire $15.9 million bonus and sponsorship earnings to a homeless shelter in Omaha.” Comments lauded Bohm for his generosity, but he explained that the post was a hoax.
Now his name is trending again, his lawsuit against his parents a startling revelation.
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