Ben Kirtland

A federal judge has ruled the former wife of a Kansas University official caught in a ticket scalping scandal cannot keep money and property fraudulently transferred to her in the couple’s divorce settlement.

U.S. District Judge J. Thomas Marten on Thursday ruled for the government in its lawsuit against Ben Kirtland, the former Kansas associate athletic director in charge of development, and his ex-wife, Mary Jean Kirtland.

The government contends the transferred property and money are worth more than $400,000.

The judge says Mary Kirtland knew of her husband’s precarious legal and financial situation and paid nothing to him before the transfers in the property settlement.

Ben Kirtland was one of seven Kansas athletics officials convicted for the unlawful sale of Jayhawk football and basketball season tickets.