Sports agent pleads guilty to federal crimes

Staff Writer rellis@oklahoman.com

An Edmond sports marketing agent pleaded guilty in Oklahoma City federal court Wednesday to making false statements on two federal tax forms filed in behalf of The Tommie Harris Foundation.

Sports agent William G. Horn, 58, of Edmond was accused of diverting funds that had been donated to The Tommie Harris Foundation with the intention that they would be passed on to other charities.

Horn has agreed to pay $721,947 in restitution to The Boys & Girls Clubs of America to make up for funds that were diverted.

Tommie Harris was a star defensive lineman for the University of Oklahoma who won the 2003 Lombardi Award as the nation’s top college lineman. He went on to play pro football for the Chicago Bears and San Diego Chargers and made three Pro Bowls.

Horn founded The Tommie Harris Foundation in 2006 after he and Harris met at the Super Bowl in Detroit. Horn also was involved for a time with former OU star Adrian Peterson’s foundation and with Pros For Africa, records show.

Federal prosecutors said Horn personally solicited donations for The Tommie Harris Foundation, which annually held a celebrity golf event to raise money for people in need. Horn also managed the foundation’s finances and filed its federal tax forms.

The foundation reported receiving more than $1.8 million from tax years 2007 through 2012 and reported making $705,699 in distributions to other organizations.

Most of the difference, which totaled more than $1.1 million, was reported as “functional expenses,” prosecutors said.

Horn was charged with making false statements on 2011 and 2012 federal tax forms filed in behalf of the foundation.

In 2011, he was accused of diverting more than $136,00 to personal bank accounts and using a foundation credit card for more than $39,000 in personal purchases.

In 2012, he was accused of diverting more than $129,000 and making more than $41,000 in purchases for personal use on a foundation credit card.

He also was accused of making false statements on the returns about having distributed tens of thousands of dollars to other charities, when he actually controlled those other charities and spent the money on himself, prosecutors said.

For the 2011 false statement, Horn faces a potential maximum sentence of five years in prison, three years of supervised probation and a $250,000 fine.

For the 2012 false statement, he faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison, one year of supervised probation and a $250,000 fine.

Sentencing is expected to take place in about 90 days.