Nicole Bobek in court on drugs charges

Former American figure-skating champion Nicole Bobek, once dubbed the Madonna of the ice, is facing up to 10 years in jail after being charged with running a New Jersey drugs ring.
 
The skater, now 31, was crowned American champion in 1995 and competed in the 1998 Olympics. But she now appears to be following a similar career trajectory to that of fellow skater Tonya Harding - who attained notoriety after attempting to nobble her rival Nancy Kerrigan in 1994 and had a number of run-ins with the police and even appeared in a pornographic film.
 
Bobek, who has homes in New York and Florida, was one of 20 people arrested over the alleged drug ring. She was picked up in Florida and extradited to New Jersey.
 
She made her first court appearance by video from the Hudson County Jail this week and has been charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Her appearance was far removed from that of her days on the ice, when she was a glamorous blonde described as "figure skating's answer to Madonna". She posted bail after the sum was reduced from $200,000 to $100,000.
 
Bobek arrived on the skating scene with a bang in 1995 and, although she was regarded as one of the most talented skaters America had produced for decades, she was also something of a wildchild. She won the American title while on probation for breaking into the home of another skater and stealing money, and her career failed to take off.
 
She frequently changed coaches and despite being tipped for a medal at the Winter Olympics of 1998 she finished well down the field.
 
In 2000, she turned professional and signed a four-year contract with the Tom Collins Champions on Ice tour.  In 2006, she made her acting debut as the love interest of Sean Penn in a remake of the classic All The King's Men. ·