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Big Brothers Big Sisters says $436,000 missing

November 03, 2009|By DAVID BROCK

A lawsuit filed Monday in Lexington by Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bluegrass claims an office manager embezzled nearly $436,000.

The lawsuit claims Bendrea Wilson of Lexington forged two board members' signatures to at least 140 checks, made out to five men.

One of the men, Marcus Searcy, lives in Danville, The Herald-Leader reported today.

Big Brothers Big Sisters CEO Dale Suttles, a Danville resident, said he does not know Searcy or the other men who allegedly received checks. He believes they are all friends of Wilson, who had been hired in May 2008.

Suttles said the amount missing represents about one-third of the organization's annual budget of $1.3 million.

The alleged embezzlement appears to have been going on since October, Suttles said, but became more aggressive since the recent sale of some of the group's Lexington real estate.

Suttles, who took over as the group's CEO five weeks ago, said the loss in funding will not mean any immediate cutbacks in the current programs, including those in Danville and Boyle County.

However, the group, which depends largely on money from fundraisers and contributions from other non-profit groups, is in a precarious position.

"We are reeling right now, and this puts us close to being broke," said Suttles. "We are trying very hard to recover as many of the funds as possible."

In addition to seeking the embezzled money through the civil lawsuit, Suttles said a relief fund has been established at Central Bank in Lexington to help tide the group over through the rest of 2009.

Big Brothers Big Sisters receives part of its funding from groups like Heart of Kentucky United Way.

September-December is typically a period when United Way member organizations suspend individual fundraising efforts while United Way makes its own push. Suttles said Big Brothers Big Sisters likely will ask for some modification of that arrangement in light of what has happened.

"We are going to have to get out there and confirm the public trust that we have earned over so many years," Suttles said. "If you loved us two weeks ago, you should feel the same way now. You can still be comfortable that we are strong as an organization."

Information for this story also came from The Associated Press.

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