Youth Team Money Missing

I am from the State of Michigan and my son has played hockey for the same youth team the last three years. Parents fund the team season through regular monthly payments of anywhere from $250.00 to $350.00 per month as well as by holding various fundraisers. The two managers of the team funds also issues parents financials on a regular basis at least every two months which discloses what funds were collected and how they were used.

We received our final financial statement of the season in April 2007 and upon my review, I noticed certain revenues collected were not listed, expenses that appeared very odd, and then amounts of money called "Advance Payback" that were transferred out in the last month of the season.

I am an accountant an was in public accounting where I performed audit work for a couple of years. I assembled a list of questions and challenged many items represented by the head coach and team manager who both handled the money for the team. During those discussions it became evident to me that parents were intentionally lied to and some of what was listed in the team financials was inaccurate. This was through verbal discussions only. I then requested to audit the financial records or offered that the accounting records be sent to an independent third-party for an audit. I do not know for 100% sure if there is money missing or just hidden away and not reported. They adamantly refuse an audit and will not show me any financial supporting documentation.

I have over 100 pages of financial statement documentation and e-mails of representations by the managers of what they said the funds were collected and used for, but have proven to be false during my investigation. They laughed when I suggested turning that documentaion over to a television station "problem solver" unit to try and get them to agree to an audit.

I have addressed the State Amatuer Hockey Association and the National Amateur Hockey Association and they have no rules on, nor do they get inolved with financial concerns of parents. The annual budget per season for the hockey team was around $50,000 per season, so we are talking a great deal of money that could in fact be missing. I cannot verify that claim unless an audit is performed.

What can us parents do to see what truly happened to the monies over three years? There is approximately $10,000 in question that they will not prove what happened with it.

Are we parents out of luck or can we get assistance from somebody to help us to see if there were any crimes committed? Every law firm I look up is for "defense" of crimes that we think may have occurred. We need somebody to play "offense" for us.

Thanks for any help you can give us!!!!!

Based on what you say here, you could file suit against them (or at least threaten to do so) in small claims court or in regular court; filing in small claims court is easier and requires no attorney...you could try to collect all of the costs and damages that you suffered due to their behavior...

You couls also file a police report if you suspect fraud.