A former treasurer has been sentenced to 36 weekends in jail after she admitted stealing more than $26,000 from a suburban Philadelphia Little League.
The Delaware County Daily Times reports Theresa Becker, 40, was treasurer of the Ridley Area Little League form October 2010 until September 2012, when officials discovered more than $26,000 missing from the group's checking account.
Authorities say an audit determined that 32 checks had been paid without a signer's authorization, 16 of them made payable to “Theresa Becker” and 14 made payable to cash.
Becker's attorney, Gerry Gebhart, says she made desperate choices because she was in an abusive relationship. Becker apologized in court Wednesday.
“The guilt that I have for what has happened is with me every day,” she said, according to the paper. “I just want a chance to start over with my kids.”
She's also been ordered to pay $1,000 a month in restitution until the funds are replaced.
The money is important, according to league officials.
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“The crime committed by Miss Becker of forging her way to $26,000 in ill-gotten cash was effectively a crime against every person involved with the Ridley Area Little League over the past two-plus seasons,” said League President William Corcoran, according to the Delco Times. “Your honor, we are not an affluent area. This money is hard-earned by the people who pay it to our league. … This was a league that needed every dollar it could get.”
Becker also pleaded guilty to receiving $29,700 in false unemployment claims and received six years probation, the paper reported.
