CHICAGO (WGN) — The wife of former Major League star Ben Zobrist said in court documents that her husband failed “to preserve marital assets” when he stepped away from the Chicago Cubs in May of 2019.
Julianna Zobrist is now seeking an additional $4 million in the couple’s divorce trial, claiming in a filing obtained by the Chicago Tribune that he “intentionally and voluntarily stopped working” and “essentially went from the top of his game to basically giving up, which caused a massive loss in income.”
Her attorney argues that, “In 2019, he had a contract with the Chicago Cubs for ($12 million), but since he only played for 2 months, his salary was prorated and he only earned ($4.5 million) of the ($12 million) he could have earned.”
Ben Zobrist’s attorney Helen S. Rogers called the claim “utterly absurd,” and argues that the former World Series MVP was too devastated to play baseball after finding out that his wife had been having an affair with the family pastor, Byron Yawn, and took a leave of absence from the team.
“Rather than accepting blame for having torn her husband’s heart out by having an affair with their pastor, she expected him to be able to totally focus in an elite athletic job that required (100%) of his physical and mental energy,” Rogers wrote in the memorandum. “It is Mrs. Zobrist, by having the extramarital affair and confessing same to her husband, and not disclosing the true extent of her affair, that caused him such extreme mental distress and difficulty that resulted in an inability to finish his long and very successful career in the way that he had hoped for and planned for.”
Ben Zobrist, who is suing Yawn for $6 million for allegedly defrauding his charity, claims that his wife “coaxed” him back to baseball so he could finish his contract with the Cubs.
Julianna and Ben Zobrist laid out a number of claims against each other in the court filing, with the former infielder alleging that his wife’s spending spiraled out of control while he financially propped up her career as a Christian pop singer, author and speaker.
The document claims that Julianna’s ventures led to a net loss of $212,000 in 2019, with $188,000 going to clothing. Rogers argues that she overspent from the couple’s estate by “at least $691,602.86,” including $30,000 on a party for Yawn in December of 2018, an event Ben Zobrist characterizes as the “genesis” of his split from Julianna.
Julianna Zobrist’s attorney, Marlene Eskind Moses, argued that her client’s husband suffers from “mental health issues” that Julianna Zobrist worked to alleviate so he could keep playing baseball.
Julianna Zobrist is asking for a 50-50 split of the marital assets, along with the $4 million from money she claims her husband should have made during the 2019 baseball season..
Ben Zobrist won two World Series championships during his 13-year baseball career, first with the Kansas City Royals in 2015 and then the next year with the Chicago Cubs.
Copyright 2021 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Share this story
More Stories
90% of hesitant parents could be swayed to vaccinate their kids against COVID-19, survey finds
by WJET/WFXP, Nexstar Media Wire / Jul 20, 2021
(WJET/WFXP) — While people across the U.S. continue to get vaccinated against COVID-19, some parents are worried about the effects of the vaccine on themselves and their children.
According to a survey done by Sykes, a business process outsourcing provider, 50% of parents believe the vaccine is effective against the coronavirus, but more than half were still reluctant to have their children get it.
Read the Full Article
St. Pete councilman halts evictions at apartment building after union steps in
by Chip Osowski / Jul 20, 2021
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) — For eight years, Terrence Gordon has called the Paradise Apartments home, but last month, he received a notice that he was being evicted.
The paperwork indicated he owed $259.00.
Read the Full Article
Trump inaugural committee head accused of being UAE agent
by The Associated Press / Jul 20, 2021
NEW YORK (AP) — The chair of former President Donald Trump’s 2017 inaugural committee was arrested Tuesday on charges alleging that he and others conspired to influence Trump’s foreign policy positions to benefit the United Arab Emirates.
Thomas Joseph Barrack, 74, of Santa Monica, California, was among three men charged in New York federal court with trying to influence foreign policy while Trump was running in 2016 and later while he was president.
Read the Full Article
Top Stories
Video
Live
Video
Video
Video
Video
Video
Video
More Stories
SUBSCRIBE NOW
Breaking News
Trending Stories
Don’t Miss
Video
Home from 1991 film ‘My Girl’ hits market in Polk County, becomes most popular listing at Realtor.com
Polk County / 1 day ago
Video
WATCH IT BACK: Tampa celebrates Lightning with championship boat parade
Lightning / 1 week ago
Video
WATCH: International sports artist shares timelapse of Stamkos drawing
Lightning / 1 week ago
Video
Originally found on Read More