-
Apr 17, 2008 9:58 pm US/Central
-
Digg |
Facebook |
E-mail
|
Print
2 Investigation Leads To Justice For Little League
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
A local Little League was facing a big scandal after someone took the money it needed to operate and to build a new field. So, they turned to the 2 Investigators and they are finally getting justice.
CBS 2 Investigator Dave Savini reports while the Melrose Park Little Leaguers were connecting on the field, league officials were losing their battle off the field to find out who took as much as $42,000 of Little League money.
After a three-year CBS 2 investigation and a probe by the Illinois Attorney General, the league's former treasurer -- Lisa Zito -- is being sued by the attorney general and faces $50,000 in fines, and $24,000 in restitution.
"I just never thought it would happen around here in our league," said Melrose Park Little League President Joseph McMillan. "It's a shame, it's really a shame that it led to this."
McMillan says they were unaware Zito allegedly used the league's bank accounts, or opened an ATM card.
The suit shows repeated cash withdrawals and checks written to cash, personal credit cards and to Zito's mother.
"It put us in a bad position where we were getting loans for this and loans for that to keep the league going," McMillan said.
He and other league officials say they tried to get the Cook County State's Attorney to investigate the theft but had no luck until they called the 2 Investigators.
"If it wasn't for you and your investigation they probably would have walked away with it," McMillan said.
CBS 2 also found Zito had been arrested for a financial crime before, in 1993 on two counts of felony forgery.
Current league treasurer Sam Scardino and board member Eddie Coco say Zito refused to show them financial records. They hope the league gets its money back.
Thanks to a private donor who knew the league was in financial trouble, a new ball field is being built and the kids hope to play on it in two weeks. But the stigma of the scandal still lingers.
"This is a black mark on us," McMillan said. "And it's going to take a few years to get out of it."
The two-count civil suit alleges Zito told authorities she could not remember how the money was spent.
The 2 Investigators have not been able to reach her for comment.
The state is also pursuing a permanent injunction that would ban Zito from ever working as an officer for a charity.
(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Get More From cbs2chicago.com