Tag Archives: embezzlement

Treasurer of Cheerleading Club Scammed Out of Nearly $10K by “Boyfriend” in Ghana

Susan Loberto, 50, of Audubon, NJ thought she had met the man of her dreams on the dating website Chemistry.com.  The only problem? She lived in New Jersey and he was stuck in Africa trying to finish a construction project . . . but he couldn’t access his US bank account. Could she help and send him few bucks so he could finish the project and come back to the States to be with her?

Sure.  But where would Loberto get the money? Her “boyfriend” needed thousands in cash–now!

So, Loberto did whatever any love-lorn middle-aged woman would do: she allegedly embezzled the money from a middle school group she served as treasurer for, the Oaklyn Cats Cheerleading Club. Besides, he’d pay her back as soon as the project was done and he was back home, right?

As you might have guessed by now Ms. Loberto’s boyfriend wasn’t just visiting Africa, he was FROM Africa, specifically Ghana, and the she is never going to see that money again. She now faces fraud charges.

Source: Philly.com

 

Youth Baseball League Treasurer Accused of Taking $92K of Kid’s Money – Amy Jo Erickson

The interesting part of this story is not the fact that someone would take money from kids.

It’s not that Amy Jo Erickson got away with it for more than five years without anyone involved in the Belgrade, Montana youth baseball league knowing it.

Or the fact that she was able to skim off–allegedly–more $92,000 over that time period.

No, the most interesting part of this story is that we continue to report on these types of embezzlement from youth sports organizations and nothing seems to change. Okay, in this case the league reportedly required two signatures to write a check (not a bad idea) but reportedly Ms. Erickson got other board members to sign blanks in advance and then filled in the amounts later.

It’s almost like parents want to be ripped off. How else can you explain the nearly complete lack of oversight in what appears to be about 99% of youth sports leagues in this country?

If convicted, Erickson could face up to 10 years in prison, a $50,000 fine or both, and could also be ordered to pay back all the money she’s alleged taken.

Source: Bozeman Daily Chronicle

Youth Football Coach Accused of Taking $15K from Kids, Looking Like Jabba the Hut

Separated at Birth? Eric Mason and Jabba the Hut

Separated at Birth? That's former youth football league president Eric Mason on the left.

Eric Mason, former president of the Okolona Titans Youth Football League in Louisville now faces felony charges of embezzlement after a local TV station uncovered evidence that nearly $15,000 was missing from the league’s coffers. According to the story at WAVE 3, the alleged criminal activity first came to light during a segment of their “Troubleshooter Department” when parents came forward to ask what happened to all the money they had put in to support the league.

According to the WAVE investigation, Mason allegedly forged a document to get control of the league’s bank account then took out hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars at a time and kept no records of what he spent it on. In the end though, the league’s debit card provided a paper trail that showed he used the kid’s money to pay cell phone bills, stop at gas stations, go shopping, and–wait for it–go out to eat. Probably A LOT from the mug shot above which also shows he bears a striking resemblance to Jabba the Hut for Star Wars fame. Coincidence?

We were unable to substantiate claims that Mason also had girls in metal bikini’s around him at all times and frequently blubbered “Bring me Solo and the Wookie” but we’ll report on that anyway.

Eventually the local cops got around to investigating the case themselves and after several months issued a warrant for Mason’s arrest. If convicted, Mason could face years of jail time or could chose instead to be encased in Carbonite and put on display in the league office.

UPDATE: When WAVE TV viewers found out that the Okolona Titans Youth Football League didn’t have enough money in their account at the end of the last season to host their annual pizza party, they pitched in and threw one for the kids and also took their player pictures.