Via Denver Sports

On Wednesday, serious questions were raised about Russell Wilson’s charity—known as the Why Not You Foundation—when a six-month investigation by The USA TODAY Network was published.

The story, which sought out to investigate past Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award winners’ nonprofits’ ended up keying in on the Denver Broncos quarterback. Wilson received the award in 2020, which is dubbed as the league’s most prestigious honor. It is presented for excellence on and off the field, with an emphasis on community service and philanthropy.

Still, the investigation by USA TODAY found that Wilson’s organization reported it spent just 24.3 cents of every dollar on charitable activities in 2020 and 2021 combined and nearly twice as much, $1.1 million, on salaries and employee benefits in that span, according to federal tax records.

The salaries include more than six figures for an executive who also works personally for Ciara and Russell Wilson, which has nonprofit experts prodding.

The investigation states:

Form 990 federal tax returns from the nonprofit’s inception through 2021 show it reported $7.5 million in revenue and $7 million in expenses during its first eight years of existence.

Less than half of the money — $2.8 million, or 39.6 cents of every dollar spent — has gone to charitable activities, all as grants to other nonprofits.

The remaining $4.2 million has paid for fundraising, administrative and management expenses, including the salaries of three employees, who have received $1.9 million combined.

Not a great look for Russell Wilson, who has been under fire a lot in 2022-23 for his poor play on the field for the Denver Broncos, coupled with his weird demeanour and fake holier-than-thou attitude.

Wilson, who is known for his philanthropic work and his commitment to giving back to his community, has come under fire after an investigation by USA Today uncovered serious mismanagement and misappropriation of funds at the Why Not You Foundation, the charity he co-founded in 2014.

According to the report, the Why Not You Foundation has spent large amounts of money on travel, entertainment, and other expenses that appear to have little or no connection to its stated mission of helping children. For example, the foundation spent thousands of dollars on private jets, expensive hotel stays, and high-end restaurants, even though these expenses had no apparent connection to the charity’s mission. A total of 39.6 cents of every dollar spent went to actually help. It’s gross. Let’s not forget the 860,000 annual golf tournament that generated zero income.

The Why Not You Foundation charity scandal is a wake-up call for the NFL and for all athletes who use their fame and influence to support important causes. It highlights the need for better oversight and transparency in the management of charities and serves as a reminder that philanthropic organizations must be held to a high standard of accountability and transparency, in order to earn the trust of their supporters and the public.