NY Little League Treasurer Embezzles $90K
Call it FIFA Lite. The treasurer of a Manhattan nonprofit youth baseball organization allegedly embezzled $90,000 over the course of three years. The only man with access to the league's account made over 50 withdrawals and spent almost $3,000 on car repairs.
His ruse was discovered when another league employee demanded access to the account and prosecutors are promising swift justice.
Born on Third Base
William Jacobvitz was allegedly skimming cash from the New York Gothams Youth Baseball program's coffers since 2011. According to reports, the Gothams provide athletic training to teenagers, many of whom come from underprivileged backgrounds.
Jacobvitz allegedly tried to avoid detection by putting his fellow employee off for weeks and distracting her with inaccurate spreadsheets. He then admitted to stealing organization funds, but only $20,000 at first, and then $50,000 when pressed on the matter. Prosecutors told a Manhattan judge the total figure exceeds $90,000, including 50 unauthorized withdrawals between November 2011 and April 2014, as well as use of an organization debit card to pay for thousands of dollars of repair work to his car.
Grand Slam Larceny
District Attorney Cyrus Vance released a statement regarding the embezzlement:
"This defendant is accused of committing a big theft from a beloved Little League organization. Many nonprofits rely on charitable donations to support programs benefiting the communities they serve, and in this case, the defendant is charged with misappropriating tens of thousands of dollars that may have otherwise have gone toward scholarships for aspiring young athletes."
New York has several tiers of larceny penalties, depending on the amount stolen. Jacobvitz was arrested Friday morning at his Upper West Side apartment and indicted on one count of second degree grand larceny, a Class C felony for which he faces up to 15 years in jail. He was arraigned on $20,000 bail.
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Related Resources:
- New York Youth Baseball Treasurer Accused of Embezzling $90,000 (Gawker)
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