New details have emerged from court filings in former Chicago Cubs star Ben Zobrist's sordid divorce saga, including how his Christian singer wife allegedly feted her pastor lover with a $30,000 retirement party and used a burner phone to talk to him in secret.
The 40-year-old Major League Baseball player, who has since retired, alleged in a lawsuit filed in May that his wife, Julianna, had a year-long affair with their married Nashville pastor Bryon Yawn who, at one point, had given the couple marriage counseling.
Ben and Julianna each filed for divorce in 2019 after 14 years of marriage. More than two years later, the former couple remain separated as their case, made complicated by multimillion-dollar claims and lawsuits, continues to wind its way through the courts.
The Zobrists' divorce is scheduled to go to trial in August.
Court documents allege that Julianna Zobrist, the wife of Chicago Cubs star Ben Zobrist (pictured together, left), spent $30,000 on a retirement party for her pastor lover Byron Yawn in December 2018 (right)
In court filings obtained by the Chicago Tribune on Monday, Ben Zobrist claimed the 'genesis' of the unraveling of his marriage was the retirement party that his wife, a Christian singer, organized in December 2018 for Yawn, who was stepping away from his role as elder of Community Bible Church in Nashville.
'The one-night party cost almost $30,000 and was conducted at the Zobrist farm,' according to the documents.
Julianna allegedly paid for the lavish soiree out of the 'farm account' that her husband usually did not check.
During the celebration, Julianna and Pastor Yawn both got drunk and were described in the filings as 'dancing "on' each other in a provocative way that was very embarrassing to Ben Zobrist, especially in front of their close church friends.'
The dad-of-three baseball player privately rebuked his wife for her conduct, to which Julianna was said to have taken 'umbrage.'
Prior to the party, Ben stated in court documents that his wife told him she had 'new thoughts and opinions that differed from some of their religious background and family beliefs.'
In her own court filing, Julianna said she 'began questioning some of her religious beliefs,' and reached out to Yawn to seek 'solace in his support.' As time passed, their relationship turned romantic.
During a deposition, Julianna testified that her relationship with the married pastor 'crossed the line' in September 2018.
Julianna was said to have told Ben in 2018 that she was having 'new thoughts' about their religious beliefs. The pair are pictured together in 2016
Julianna, a mom-of-three Christian singer, admitted in court records to buying a burner phone for the purpose of communicating with Yawn. She promised Ben she would stop talking to the pastor while they were in counseling
Ben and Julianna filed for legal separation and divorce, respectively, in May 2019, but then decided to try marriage counseling.
Ben took a leave from the Cubs after learning of Julianna's affair with Yawn from the pastor's then-wife, Robin.
During that time, Ben claimed that his wife continued communicating with Yawn 'despite her promises to the contrary' using a burning phone.
Julianna admitted to buying a disposable phone in June 2019 to keep in touch with the pastor, and then throwing away the device.
Julianna now is demanding Ben pay her $4million as part of their divorce settlement because she claims he gave up his career and lost out on his contract after her affair with Yawn.
Ben and Julianna both filed for divorce in May 2019 after 14 years of marriage
Julianna is claiming in pretrial court documents, obtained by the Chicago Tribune, that Zobrist was 'guilty of failing to preserve marital assets' when he stepped away from the team.
As a result of his leave of absence, Zobrist only played two months of the 2019 season and earned a prorated $4.5million of his $12million contract, according to the court filings.
Julianna accused the 2016 World Series MVP 'basically giving up' and losing out on income when he 'intentionally and voluntarily' took leave.
She is seeking a 50-50 split of their
