The volunteer treasurer of the New York Gothams — one of the most competitive youth baseball organizations in the city — was arrested and arraigned late Friday on one count of grand larceny for allegedly embezzling $90,000.
William Jacobvitz was the only person with access to the bank account for the league, which also offers SAT prep classes and other services to underprivileged players.
In a statement, District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance said, “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 56-year-old former restaurant manager allegedly stole $90,000 in 50 cash withdrawals from the league’s account between 2011 and 2014. Court papers say that at one point he spent nearly $3,000 to get his car fixed.
He was only exposed when another volunteer demanded to see the group’s bank records. After stalling for weeks, Jacobvitz broke down and admitted to the scam, but tried to minimize the amount he stole.
“He said 20,000, then 50,000 when pressed, when in reality he took in excess of $90,000,” according to prosecutor Catherine McCaw.
Jacobvitz was released over the weekend on $20,000 bail. His next court date is not yet known.
