Parents question youth league spending

AUSTIN (KXAN) - For months parents and coaches in the Northwest Austin Pop Warner Association have asked -- and even demanded -- the financial statements that would show in detail how the money raised through membership dues, sponsorships and other activities was spent.

And for months, those requests have repeatedly been denied.

“There was nobody monitoring the money going in or out,” said Lisa Wells, whose child was involved in the association. “Nobody was keeping a log of anything. It was just a free-for-all.”

A KXAN investigation shows that thousands of dollars that were supposed to be used to buy uniforms and equipment for the young players with the Northwest Austin Pop Warner Association were actually spent at places like restaurants, hotels, flowers shops and even a liquor store.

At the center of the investigation was Sarah Voight, the one-time volunteer president of Northwest Austin Pop Warner Association. It was a post she had held for several years before being voted out in December. This investigation concerns only the Northwest Austin Pop Warner Association and not any other division of Pop Warner.

For at least part of her tenure Voight also acted as the association's treasurer. That put her in control of the organization's bank card and made her the person who signed the checks. When some of the checks started bouncing back in 2009, parents and coaches became concerned.

One parent said that his efforts to get answers about the association's finances resulted in him being booted from the coaching ranks and removed from the association's board of directors. The association’s bylaws state: "All records shall be open to all Association members."

Voight declined numerous requests to be interviewed for this report. Attempts to talk with Voight at her place of business in Cedar Park were rebuffed.

She did, however, provide parents and coaches at least a partial report of how she handled association money. KXAN obtained a copy of the report from August 2011 that appeared to be a home-made spreadsheet printed on a personal computer.

The charges Voight included were accurate, but it’s what she left off the list that is raising eyebrows. For example, the weekend of Aug. 12-15,  there was a kids’ football tournament in Dallas. Voight listed three charges to the account:

• a cheerleading expense
• bank fees
• a reimbursement to herself for more than $1,000.

KXAN's investigation dug deeper, contacting the Secretary of State's Office, the Texas Comptroller Office, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and the Texas Board of Certified Fraud Examiners.

Other expenses

An examination of association bank records showed 19 additional charges during those three days in Dallas. Among them:

• A stay at the Wingate Hotel
• Meals at Pappadeaux, Benihana and Iron Cactus restaurants
• Two charges at a Dallas liquor store

Going back to 2010, the investigation found that hundreds of dollars were spent to cover cellphone bills, flowers and hotel expenses.

In 2011 there were charges to Starbucks, Mexican restaurants, barbecue at Rudy’s and the Southside Market in Elgin, doughnuts and even an order for edible arrangements.

All of that money was spent out of the Northwest Austin Pop Warner Association’s account -- when it was not even football season.

Hundreds of dollars were spent at the Holiday Inn near Dallas and a debit card withdrawal in August was made for more than $100.

Pop Warner is one of the largest nonprofit youth sports associations in the world. It is in 42 states and several countries around the world. And in Central Texas, the "league" is run by Central Texas Pop Warner.

Under that "league" are several "associations" where the kids sign up and play.

In the Northwest Austin Pop Warner Association, participation costs $175 per child, and many of the associations survive on those dues, along with fundraising and sponsorships.

Experts say having one person acting as both an association president and the keeper of the finances is a recipe for disaster.

Examination for fraud

“One of the first things I do is look at the expenditures and look to see where that money is spent and how the money is spent,” said James Ratley, president and CEO of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

His group is the largest fraud examiner association in the world. He said bank records don't lie, adding, “It’s an internal control that you have to have.”

Ratley said that sloppy recordkeeping raises concerns about potential fraud.

The association's coaches and parents said lack of accounting and oversight and the non-football expenses all serve to short-change both the parents and the children.

“I'll be damned if I'm going to let this stand,” said Scott Colvin, a parent and former coach who was removed as a temporary board member of the association after he started asking about its finances. “There are children out there being manipulated and played with -- their money gone."

After being voted out as president of the