Adrian Peterson’s tumble continues. Following last month’s revelation of child abuse charges in Texas, the All-Pro running back is now facing allegations of his charity misusing donations.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune investigated financial reports and other allegations from the Adrian Peterson All Day Foundation and found some very unsettling details:
In the fall of 2011, by then one of the NFL’s greatest runners, Peterson signed a record-breaking contract, a seven-year agreement that could pay him as much as $100 million.
Three months later, he was at the center of an incident in an Eden Prairie hotel room that resulted in an accusation of rape and triggered a lengthy police investigation.
The 38-page police report details a night of drinking, arguing and sex that involved the running back, two relatives — including Peterson’s brother, a minor — and four women, in various pairs. One of those present, Chris Brown, a Peterson relative who lives with him in Eden Prairie, told police that he paid for the room using a company credit card for Peterson’s All Day, Inc.
While it is entirely possible that Peterson used his charity’s credit card for personal purchases and proceeded to reimburse the account, this disturbing development does not look good. Furthermore, the Star Tribune found the following:
The charity’s 2011 financial report showed $247,064 in total revenue, and listed just three organizations that received money. A fourth outlay, entitled simply “clothing for needy families,” listed “unknown” for the number of recipients.
In 2009, the charity said its largest gift, $70,000, went to Straight From the Heart Ministries in Laurel, Md. But Donna Farley, president and founder of the Maryland organization, said it never received any money from Peterson’s foundation. “There have been no outside [contributions] other than people in my own circle,” said Farley. “Adrian Peterson — definitely not.”
The East Texas Food Bank, based in Tyler, said it received money from Peterson’s foundation in 2009, although the foundation’s tax filing for the year listed just one donation to a food bank — the North Texas Food Bank, based in Dallas.
Again, it is possible that Peterson and/or his charity’s representatives can explain this debacle therefore it would be wise to withhold your judgment until the full details come out. However, things appear to be spiraling out of control for the soon-to-be unemployable Adrian Peterson.
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