YOUTH BASEBALL TREASURER IN NEW YORK FACES EMBEZZLEMENT CHARGE

Bail has been set at $20,000 for an individual who allegedly embezzled more than $90,000 from a New York youth baseball organization. The 56-year-old man, the treasurer of the organization, was taken into custody at his residence on Oct. 16, 2015, and he was arraigned later that day. He now faces one count of grand larceny.

Reports indicate that concern over the treasurer’s financial integrity arose when an employee of the group asked to review the bank records. Prosecutors indicated that the request was avoided for several weeks and that the man attempted to show spreadsheets to the requesting party. During initial discussions over the matter, he reportedly acknowledged having stolen, but he supposedly gave differing figures that were much lower than the amount that was missing. Authorities indicate that he used the organization’s resources to pay for personal car repairs while also withdrawing unauthorized funds on at least 50 occasions over a period of more than two years. He was reportedly the only person with access to the bank account in question.

White-collar crimes often involve issues such as mishandling of funds, and the approach to creating an accountability system for an organization’s financial dealings may be important for minimizing the risk of issues such as embezzlement. In some cases, an initial successful incident might encourage further attempts to tap into funds that aren’t meticulously monitored. However, a lack of proper organizational accounting and structure could also create situations in which the legitimate use of funds might be viewed in a negative light.

An individual facing charges for financial misdealings after conducting business for an organization might find it difficult to know how to respond during interviews with authorities. The presence of a lawyer during such a situation might be helpful to ensure that the questioning is appropriate.

Source: Gawker, “New York Youth Baseball Treasurer Accused of Embezzling $90,000”, Brendan O’Connor, Oct. 18, 2015