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COON RAPIDS, Minn. (KMSP) - Coon Rapids High School Boys Hockey is scrambling to re-raise money they say was embezzled from its booster club bank accounts by an Anoka woman.
Now, the team says it has only two months to raise $40,000 or the Cardinal's season is in jeopardy.
According to a police report from Coon Rapids Police, Brian Knapp, of the Cardinal Hockey Red Line Club, was alerted to some suspicious charges by an employee at Wells Fargo.
The employee informed Knapp of numerous suspicious charges that seemed out of the ordinary.
Upon his review, Knapp found several unauthorized purchases and ATM withdrawals between June 1 and June 30. There were 31 unauthorized purchases totaling $3,031 in June 2018. The previous month, 31 more transactions totaled $2,649.
In all, the team estimates she stole around $36,000.
"A lot of it was cash withdrawals," said Knapp. "Large ATM withdrawals on a daily basis."
Knapp brought the suspicious charges to the Coon Rapids Police Department July 20 with bank statements containing suspicious withdrawals and transactions dating back to December 2016.
According to Knapp, a 34-year-old Anoka woman was the only person with access to the financial account information as the Treasurer for the Red Line Club. She had the only debit card and checks for the account. She is also the sole keeper of the pin number for the debit cards.
"It was like it was her own personal account," Knapp said.
The police report says most of the charges were for personal items, which Knapp said the hockey club never purchases.
Knapp said it hurt to find out about the loss of funds.
"It's a punch in the gut," he said. "Somebody you thought you knew and she was stealing from kids."
Head Coach Steve Moe said the team will have to struggle to climb out of debt and pay team expenses.
"Our practice time, our trips to our conference games and all those other things. Those will go on through the school," he said. "But it's the things outside that make the season enjoyable for the players and gives them those lasting memories are what we're fighting to get back."
Looking forward, Knapp will put another treasurer on the account and let all board members monitor its activity.
To donate to the program, visit the Coon Rapids Boys High School Hockey Facebook page.