William Jacobvitz, 56, reportedly the only person who had access to the organization’s bank account, stands accused of allegedly making over 50 unauthorized withdrawals from November 2011 to April 2014, along with using a debit card associated with the accounts in order to pay thousands of dollars for repair work to his personal car, the indictment reports, according to Gawker.
Arrested at his Upper West Side apartment on Friday morning, Jacobvitz, appearing rather glum, wore a Kenyon College baseball T-shirt that bore the slogan “Step Up to the Plate.” He was arraigned on one count of grand larceny, The New York Post reports.
Prosecutors told judge Jill Konviser that Jacobvitz’s scheme came to light when another employee repeatedly requested access to the organization’s bank records.
“The defendant tried to put her off for weeks and tried conceal the theft by trying to show her spreadsheets,” said prosecutor Catherine McCaw.
He stalled for weeks but finally broke down, admitting to the scam, The Daily Intelligencer reports. However, he allegedly kept minimizing the amount he stole.
“He said $20,000, then $50,000 when pressed, when in reality he took in excess of $90,000,” McCaw said.
“This defendant is accused of committing a big theft from a beloved Little League organization,” said Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., New York County District Attorney, in a press release. “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.”
The Post reports that McCaw had requested that bail be set at $50,000, due to the serious nature of the charges.
Defense lawyer Stephen McCarthy noted that Jacobvitz doesn’t have a criminal record and has lived at the apartment where he and his wife raised their son for 22 years. Before transitioning into the construction trade, Jacobvitz worked as a manager for a restaurant near Madison Square Garden for nearly 30 years, McCarthy said.
Konviser set bail at $20,000.
The Gothams league didn’t immediately return calls for comment, the Post noted.
USA Today High School Sports noted that it isn’t clear what the funds allegedly diverted by Jacobvitz were earmarked for.
