Ex-SYC treasurer waives in $136,000 theft
The former treasurer of the Springfield Youth Club has waived a preliminary hearing on charges that she stole more than $136,000 from the nonprofit organization for personal expenses over several years.
Kathleen Hammond, 54, of the 300 block of East Leamy Avenue, is charged with five felony counts of theft, receiving stolen property and access device is counterfeit, altered, incomplete. She appreaed before Magisterial District Judge Michael Culp.
Hammond served as SYC treasurer from 2018 to January 2024. The new treasurer, Kelley Maturo, conducted an audit that revealed suspected fraudulent transactions totaling nearly $60,000 in 2023 and began pulling data for the organization’s bank account from past years, according to the affidavit of probable cause filed by Delaware County detective Edward Rosen.
Among the allegedly fraudulent purchases was $921 for Billy Joel tickets bought in December 2022; $695 for plane tickets that same month; purchases at the Gaylord Palms Resort on Jan. 3, 2023, and approximately $4,800 for Eagles season tickets in January and July 2023.
Additional items flagged in the audit included Amazon purchases, cash withdrawals, and shopping trips to grocery stores, convenience stores and other retail establishments. Rosen said a card connected to the SYC account seemed to be used for everyday living expenses.
Hammond allegedly admitted to investigators in February that he had used the club’s account for personal expenses including the items flagged in the audit, as well as numerous Amazon purchases.
Officials determined a total of $136,180 was stolen, though the affidavit notes Hammond deposited $30,000 back into the club’s account in January.
“This has been an extremely difficult process for all of us at SYC,” said members of the board in a statement. “We have been tricked and mislead by someone we trusted over the course of these events. Having this come to light in the public view will now allow us as a youth club be able to move forward as justice will begin to get served. Our board has worked with the county detectives to get to this point, and we are hoping for full restitution given back to the children of SYC.”
Hammond, represented by defense counsel Christopher Boggs, is scheduled for formal arraignment at the county courthouse in Media May 8.
Boggs said Wednesday that he and Hammond are anxious to review the commonwealth’s evidence.
“The rules of procedure do not require the government to turn over their evidence until the case reaches the Court of Common Pleas,” Boggs noted. “We intend to hold the commonwealth to its very high burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt what happened to each and every dollar alleged to have been stolen.”