Seminole Little League softball coach accused of fraud; police asking donors to come forward
SEMINOLE, Okla. (KFOR) — A Seminole Little League softball coach and former police officer is being accused of fraud.
He has not been arrested but the Seminole Police Department said their case is growing.
Police said they spent Thursday morning interviewing people who donated money. They currently have at least 20 victims and think there could be more.
"A concerned business owner was speaking with some of her friends at her work and one of her friends happened to be one of the actual coach's wife, and she wasn't aware of the money being sent to the team coach," said Lt. Christopher Ayers with SPD. "It is important and the kids do need it sometimes, just be more cautious before you do."
Investigators said the suspect was asking people and businesses in Seminole, Holdenville and Wewoka for donations that were supposed to go to the team.
"Some people gave them cash, some people wrote checks and some people used digital means of transferring money," said Ayers. "There's some discrepancies in what the money should have been used for, what was going to and why they needed."
Police said they have spoke with the suspect as they build their case.
"We identified the person who's suspected of defrauding the donators as being a former police officer and a local resident of this county," said Ayers.
Investigators said they are still looking for more donors who may have been defrauded.
"We're asking that anyone that donated money to a personal person and not to a team account contact us," said Ayers.
Investigators said the head coach is not involved and has not done anything wrong.
Anyone with information is asked to give police a call.