Phoenixville man charged with keeping funds intended for charity.

POTTSTOWN >> A Phoenixville man accused of keeping money he claimed was going to charity waived his preliminary hearing Nov. 15.

Robert Domarasky, 47, of Phoenixville has been charged after police say local business owners lost nearly $4,000 in what they assumed to be donations to a charity he claimed to represent.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, police began investigating in September after it was reported that Domarasky “deceitfully misrepresented himself as a representative of Compassionate Friends, a non-profit.”

The owners of State Street Bingo/ Transplant Alliance reported that they had entered into an agreement with Domarasky to start doing weekly bingo events at their location and that Domarasky would directly handle State Street Bingo’s cash donation to Compassionate Friends, a non-profit that provides care and support to families who have lost a child. The events lasted weekly from April 3 to May 22.

Total, the owners paid Domarasky $3,784 in cash for what they believed to be charity donations, according to court documents.

Police then spoke with the head of Phoenixville’s chapter for Compassionate Friends and learned that she was unaware of Domarasky’s activities and that she had not received any checks or donations from him in 2018.

Police said on September 14, Domarasky came into the police department to make a statement regarding the incident. During that time, police said Domarasky claimed he received the cash on behalf of Compassionate Friends and that the head of the non-profit’s chapter was aware of the arrangement. Domarasky was then informed by police that the chapter head was not aware of his activities. He then admitted that he falsely represented himself as a representative or contractor for Compassionate Friends. He then stated that he did so because he was in a car accident and money was tight, and that he used the money to pay bills, according to court documents.

Domarasky has been charged with theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception and unsworn falsification to authorities. Bail was set at $1,000 unsecured. A preliminary hearing scheduled for before District Judge Scott Palladino was waived.