Ex-Bear Chris Zorich's Charity Account $300k Light

By Prescott Carlson in News on Dec 11, 2010 5:30PM

After the IRS slapped a $10,000 lien on ex-Bear Chris Zorich's charity account, a lawyer for the former NFL player admitted that the funds in the account were approximately $300,000 short from the last time the charitable foundation filed its 2002 tax return in 2007. According to the Tribune, the Chris Zorich Charitable Foundation reported $864,645 in funds before the charity fizzled out and finally closed in 2008 -- the state had ceased to renew the charity's registration in 2004, making it "ineligible to solicit, receive or hold funds in Illinois." Zorich has previously contended that he "forgot" about the account.

Zorich's attorney, Matt Lydon, said in a series of emails to the Trib that his "hope is that we can account for every bit of [the missing funds]... Keep in mind that work is currently being done to account for what money was collected and distributed, and from whom and to whom, since 2002." Lydon added that the situation is "unfortunate" and that Zorich is "still distressed about it all." Both Zorich and Lydon say the charity's accounting woes were due to its executive director, Zorich's cousin Barbara Singer, becoming ill and not being able to devote her full attention to it. Singer later died. After the current ambiguities are resolved, the leftover funds are expected to be given to other charity organizations.