Police: Former Pee Wee football coach embezzled $6,000

Published 1:00 pm Wednesday, December 3, 2014

A Massachusetts man is being charged with embezzling more than $6,000 from the Pee Wee football league he once coached and managed. 

Anthony Davis, 52, former president and acting treasurer of the Gloucester Patriots youth sports organization, allegedly admitted to detectives that he used the organization’s money for his own purposes.

According to police, Davis, who has worked as a party and club DJ, was elected as the Patriots president for the 2013 football season and assumed the additional duties as treasurer in the summer of 2014 when former treasurer Janine Mahoney stepped down. 

Before the account Mahoney had been using was closed — and a new one opened by Davis and the organization’s new vice-president — Davis reportedly used the old account to purchase a $60 sports jersey for a job outside the organization.

“He explained (to Mahoney) he was in between paychecks and would deposit the money back into the account when he gets paid,” according to Gloucester Police Department detective Thomas Quinn’s report. “That money was never deposited back into the organization account.”

Those involved with the organization later found out that many of the organization’s bills — insurance and other expenses — remained unpaid, according to police. A total of 13 checks were made out to “cash” by Davis, totaling $1,728. Seventy-five charges were also made with the organization’s debit card, equaling $2,256.

Money for concessions and registration fees were also not deposited, according to reports.

“The total to date that is missing is $6,018.73 although more is possible,” Quinn wrote.

Davis is being charged with four embezzlement-related felony counts. 

Meanwhile, current Patriots program treasurer Nicole Muise said the organization is accepting donations to hopefully recoup the money lost, and said the community has been supportive thus far.

“He did deplete the accounts down to nothing,” Muise said, referring to the charges against Davis. “But we are doing everything possible to move forward and keep the organization afloat.”

Davis was reached by phone, but abruptly hung up as soon when the reporter identified herself.

“All we can do is move past it and make the organization stronger than ever,” Muise said.

Those who want to contribute can visit the organization’s website.

MacNeill writes for the Gloucester (Mass.) Times.