CHICAGO, July 4 (UPI) -- Chris Zorich, a former lineman for the Chicago Bears and Washington Redskins, has a negative net worth and is struggling to pay back taxes, his lawyer says.
Zorich, who pleaded guilty in March to failing to file federal income tax returns, is awaiting sentencing July 12, the Chicago Tribune reported. He faces as much as 16 months in prison, although his lawyer, Matt Lydon, said he could get probation.
Lydon, in court papers filed Wednesday, said Zorich has assets of $302,273, and owes $348,447 in obligations related to a charity he set up and $90,000 in back taxes and penalties.
"Chris Zorich's true financial condition is that he faces heavy financial obligations, and he will be struggling to meet them for some time," Lydon wrote.
Zorich, who grew up in Chicago, was a football star at Notre Dame. He played for the Bears from 1991 to 1996 and ended his career with the Redskins in 1997.
The Christopher Zorich Foundation was set up in 1993 to help poor families. The Tribune reported in 2010 the foundation had not filed required papers or tax returns for several years and thousands of dollars could not be accounted for.
