Illinois is suing two landlords who rejected a prospective tenant after learning he faced felony charges tied to the alleged theft of $14,297 from Huntley Little League, a youth baseball organization.
John and Morgan Goorsky, owners of a townhouse in McHenry, are accused of refusing to rent the property to Philip A. Rizzo Jr., 42, of Lakemoor, who previously served as the league’s volunteer treasurer.
The Illinois Attorney General’s Office filed the civil lawsuit on behalf of the Illinois Department of Human Rights, alleging that the rental decision violated a state law protecting applicants from discrimination based on certain arrest records.
The dispute followed an October 2025 rental application and a state civil-rights investigation. Rizzo’s criminal prosecutions are separate from the housing lawsuit, and no court has determined that the landlords violated the law.
Landlord Cited Pending Felony Charges After Zillow Screening
Rizzo applied through Zillow on Oct. 25, 2025, for a two-bedroom townhouse in the 2300 block of Evergreen Circle. The McHenry property was listed for $2,100 per month, and its listing said the homeowners association required a background check at least 10 days before a tenant moved in.
According to Lake and McHenry County Scanner, the state’s lawsuit describes John Goorsky telling Rizzo on Nov. 3 that the application was denied after screening revealed “information indicating pending felony charges.” Goorsky also searched the applicant’s name on Google and found criminal proceedings in McHenry and Cook counties, the lawsuit alleges.
Goorsky maintained that the decision followed standard screening procedures and was not based on characteristics such as race, religion, sex or disability. The state argues that this explanation left out a separate protection under Illinois housing law. Its complaint also seeks to hold Morgan Goorsky responsible as a co-owner of the property.
Illinois Housing Law Also Protects Certain Arrest Records
Under the Illinois Human Rights Act, the definition of an arrest record includes arrests that have not led to convictions, juvenile records and certain records that have been sealed, expunged or impounded. The housing protections involving arrest records took effect in January 2020.
Section 3-102 prohibits covered housing providers from refusing a real estate transaction because of a protected arrest record. The restriction can also apply to rental terms, advertisements and screening criteria.
The law does not prohibit every background check or require a landlord to approve an applicant who fails legitimate, nondiscriminatory standards. A separate provision, Section 3-102.5, permits housing providers to prohibit unlawful activity by tenants, household members or guests on the premises. Whether the Goorskys’ stated screening rationale violated the arrest-record protection is the question raised in the civil suit.
Rights Investigation Advanced From a Complaint to Court
Lake and McHenry County Scanner, citing the state’s lawsuit, reported that Rizzo filed a housing discrimination charge with the Illinois Department of Human Rights in November 2025. The department found substantial evidence supporting the charge in April 2026 and filed a formal complaint with the Illinois Human Rights Commission in August.
The Goorskys elected to have the dispute heard in circuit court instead of continuing before the commission. The Attorney General’s Office subsequently sued in McHenry County Circuit Court on the department’s behalf. The substantial-evidence finding allowed the enforcement process to proceed; it was not a final determination that discrimination occurred.
State Seeks $16,000 Penalty and Changes to Rental Policies
The lawsuit requests $16,000 in civil penalties payable to Illinois, along with damages and legal costs for Rizzo. State attorneys also want the landlords to adopt policies against housing discrimination and retaliation, complete fair-housing training and post notices explaining the law.
Rizzo alleges that the rejected application caused emotional distress, embarrassment and other harm. Representing himself, he has petitioned to intervene in the lawsuit and submitted a proposed complaint requesting damages to be determined through the case, along with a jury trial. His request to intervene is a filing, not an order granting him that status.
McHenry County Judge Joel Berg has a scheduling conference set for Dec. 8, 2026. The requested penalties, compensation and other remedies have not been awarded.
Criminal Complaint Alleges $14,297 in Little League Withdrawals
The criminal case that appeared in the rental screening concerns Rizzo’s work with Huntley Little League. League President Todd Doyle told the Daily Herald that Rizzo served as a trustee and treasurer from 2019 until spring 2023, when he was removed from the board. League officials subsequently discovered money they could not account for.
A May 15, 2025 criminal complaint in McHenry County case 2025CF000392 alleges five unauthorized cash withdrawals using a league credit or debit card issued to Rizzo as a board member. The alleged transactions were $3,150 on Aug. 1, $3,400 on Aug. 18, $500 on Sept. 6, $3,522 on Oct. 17 and $3,725 on Nov. 18, all in 2022.
Those five withdrawals total $14,297, the amount of the complaint’s overall theft allegation. The original complaint included a theft count and five card-use counts. Later reporting describes a September 2025 grand jury indictment charging one count of felony theft over $10,000 and one count of fraudulent use of a credit or debit card. Rizzo pleaded not guilty, and his McHenry County jury trial is scheduled for Dec. 14, 2026.
John Goorsky’s reported Google search also found a separate Cook County case. Prosecutors there accused Rizzo in May 2025 of theft by deception involving more than $1 million connected to businesses where he had worked. Those allegations are unrelated to the Little League transactions, and neither criminal accusation establishes guilt.
How Illinois Renters Can Challenge an Arrest-Based Denial
Applicants who believe a landlord rejected them because of a protected arrest record should keep the rental listing, screening report, rejection message and any communications explaining the decision. Housing providers should review their background-check policies against Illinois law and use lawful rental criteria consistently rather than automatically disqualifying applicants on pending arrest allegations.
The Illinois Department of Human Rights says housing discrimination charges generally must be filed within one year of the alleged incident. Filing is free, and applicants do not need an attorney to start. The department provides a housing Complainant Information Sheet and accepts completed fair-housing intake forms at IDHR.FairHousing@illinois.gov.