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Ex-president charged with taking between $3,000 and $6,000 from Wilkes-Barre Cosmos organization.
WILKES-BARRE – A former youth soccer club president used the association’s money as his own, city police allege in arrest records.
Police allege Matthew William Davison, 36, as president of the Wilkes-Barre Cosmos, stole $3,000 to $6,000 from the club in the summer of 2008. Davison used an automated-teller machine near his Wyoming Street, Wilkes-Barre, home to withdrawal the club’s money in $500 increments in July, August and September, according to arrest records.
Davison was charged with two felony counts of theft and a misdemeanor charge of solicitation of funds for charitable purposes. He was arraigned by District Judge Martin Kane in Wilkes-Barre on Friday and released on $5,000 unsecured bail.
Davison was president of the Cosmos in 2007 and 2008. He resigned in February, several club officers said.
“We’re doing what we could with what we have,” club President Rob Karosek said on Friday. “We’re getting past this for the kids to have a good time this year.”
Davison couldn’t be reached for comment on Friday.
Karosek and Treasurer Debbie Draina said they suspected money was missing in October when parents started asking why there wasn’t a banquet at the end of the 2008 season.
According to the criminal complaint filed by Detective David B. Sobocinski:
Several club officers and parents of players contacted police in December with suspicions that money was missing from the soccer club’s bank account, claiming that Davison didn’t provide expense and purchase receipts at league meetings.
Uniform purchases and utility bills were unpaid, and there were no deposits into the club’s account. Police obtained copies of the Cosmos’ bank transactions that allegedly showed inconsistencies, including numerous ATM withdrawals in increments of $500, the criminal complaint says.
During an interview with police, according to the criminal complaint, Davison was unable to explain the club’s expenses.
Before Davison was interviewed, police allege that his wife, Janelle Davison, called a club officer and asked why she opened her mouth, the criminal complaint says.
Janelle Davison was not charged.
Police said in the criminal complaint that an audit by the Pennsylvania Department of State Bureau of Charitable Organizations indicated “unexplained missing monies” from the Cosmos bank account during Davison’s term as president of the club.
Davison was interviewed a second time by police when he admitted, according to the criminal complaint, he stole from the Cosmos’ bank account by making ATM withdrawals.
Davison claimed he stole $2,000 to $3,000 but was unable to remember how much money he withdrew from the club’s account because he didn’t keep a record of the transactions, the criminal complaint says.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 10 in Wilkes-Barre Central Court.