Former Bears and Redskins defensive tackle Chris Zorich has been sentenced to probation for failing to pay taxes.
Zorich, who pleaded guilty in March to misdemeanor charges of failing to file federal income tax returns, got three years of probation today, according to the Chicago Tribune. He could have been sentenced to up to 16 months in prison.
Zorich, 44, faced up to 16 months in prison under federal sentencing guidelines.
Zorich made more than $1 million from 2006 to 2009 but he didn’t file tax returns on any of that income.
Zorich was often praised, both during his Hall of Fame college career at Notre Dame and during his time with the Bears, for his charitable endeavors. But the Chris Zorich Charitable Foundation mismanaged its money, and after the Illinois attorney general’s office investigated, Zorich agreed to pay back $350,000 in unaccounted for funds from the charity. As part of an agreement to end the attorney general’s investigation, Zorich promised not to take a leading role in any charity in Illinois again.
