NFL Star Quarterback Russell Wilson Accused Of Stealing Millions Through Corrupt Charity

By
Jordan Riddle
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NFL quarterback Russell Wilson is in hot water after an investigation of federal tax records show his charity only spent a very small portion of proceeds on charitable activities while pocketing the rest.

Wilson’s foundation released a statement in response to the investigation that claims it has donated more than $13 million in benefits to “education, pediatric cancer research and hunger prevention.” Critics say this is a lie.

Charity watchdogs say that at least 65 percent of a nonprofit’s expenses should directly fund charitable programs, according to Forbes.

Instead, the vast majority of proceeds were paid to employee salaries and benefits who assist at the foundation. Less than 25% of funds actually went to charity over the spend of eight years. Millions of dollars have been wasted in the corrupt scheme.

In 2020, Wilson won the Walter Payton NFL “Man of the Year” award based on his “Why Not You Foundation.”

In reality, the foundation is spending twice as much money on “employee salaries and benefits” compared to charitable contributions.

USA Today conducted a six-month investigation that concluded the foundation spent $1.1 million on themselves in 2020-2021 and only $600,000 on charity.

People at the top of the foundation were paid six-figure salaries. CEO Ryan Tarpley paid himself over $200,000 annually for multiple years.

Even part-time employees, such as the foundation’s CFO Scott Pickett, received around $60,000 annually.

Here’s a look back at Wilson celebrating the work performed by his foundation:

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In 2021, Wilson’s nonprofit spent just $365,147, less than a quarter of its $1.7 million in revenue, on charitable services. Charity watchdogs advise that at least 65 percent of a nonprofit’s expenses should directly fund charitable programs, Forbes notes.

The foundation also paid an executive who works in a personal capacity for Wilson and his wife, singer Ciara, a six-figure salary, which has drawn additional scrutiny from investigators, according to USA Today.

On its website, the foundation describes its mission as “student access to equal education opportunities, children’s health and food security initiatives.”

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In response to the USA Today report, Shayla Tait, the executive director of the Why Not You Foundation, released a statement defending the nonprofit’s charitable efforts.

“Since founding the Why Not You Foundation in 2014, we’ve been blessed and fortunate to partner with incredible organizations to maximize our impact,” the statement reads. “We’ve successfully partnered to deliver over $13,000,000 benefitting education, pediatric cancer research and hunger prevention.”