The Commercial Appeal

MPD: Treasurer took nearly $10K from Scout troop

- Linda A. Moore Memphis Commercial Appeal USA TODAY NETWORK - TENNESSEE

A woman charged with stealing nearly $10,000 from a Memphis Boy Scouts troop will appear in General Sessions Court on Friday. She is accused of taking the troop’s money over a period of more than four years.

Nicheryl Akins, 46, the former treasurer, is charged with theft of property from $2,500 to $10,000 for allegedly taking $9,928.09 from Troop 57 at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Southeast Memphis.

Officials with the church and Richard Fisher, Scout executive and CEO of the Boy Scouts of America Chickasaw Council, would not comment on the case.

“At this moment, we can’t really say anything until this is resolved,” said St. Mark’s Pastor Greg Taylor.

According to the affidavit of complaint, an audit of the troop’s bank account by a church member affiliated with the group found unauthoriz­ed transactio­ns and unauthoriz­ed cash withdrawal­s.

The withdrawal­s were made using a Visa check card from Regions Bank in Akins’ name. A review of statements from the account showed transactio­ns dating back to September 2014.

The theft was reported on Jan. 9 to the Memphis Police Department’s economic crimes unit and documents were turned over to investigat­ors.

On Jan. 14, police found that the card had been used again to pay Atkins’ bill with Memphis Light, Gas & Water Division.

Court records show that Akins was booked on Jan. 14 and released on her own recognizan­ce. She is scheduled to appear on Friday for a preliminar­y hearing before General Sessions Court Judge Bill Anderson in Division 7.

In 2017, David Cline, another troop treasurer, pleaded guilty to stealing more than $10,000 from Troop 368 based out of Farmington Presbyteri­an Church in Germantown. He repaid $95,000 and was sentenced to 100 hours of community service.

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