ARCADIA, Fla. — Police arrested the former treasurer of a DeSoto County youth football league for allegedly stealing tens of thousands of dollars from the organization.
WATCH: FOX 4'S Hunter Walterman sits down with detective who investigated the case:
Fontella Luther faces fraud charges after police say she stole between $20,000and $50,000 from the DeSoto County Youth Football and Cheer League.
According to the arrest warrant, Luther used league funds for personal purchases including a plane ticket to visit her grandchildren, Apple AirPods, wigs, a cowboy hat, and even $100 for her brother's prison commissary account.
"Stuff that wouldn't generally be used for a football league," said Lieutenant Troy Carrillo, who investigated the case.
Carrillo said received a tip in March and subpoenaed financial records, including Luther's Cash App transactions. Luther made unauthorized purchases and cash withdrawals from the league's account, Carrillo said.
"Some of it was writing checks to herself, others were cash withdrawals, on multiple occasions. Some on the same day," Carrillo said.
The warrant details various personal purchases Luther allegedly made with league funds, including a $262 window air conditioning unit from Walmart on June 12, 2023.
Investigators said Luther used the league card to purchase clothing, purses, wigs, and Apple ear buds from Amazon, according to the warrant.
In October of 2023, Luther flew to Texas to visit her grandchildren. She used the league account to pay for a Spirit Airlines flight, the warrant said.
In October of 2024, Luther used league money to deposit $100 into her brother's prison commissary account, according to the warrant.
"Someone that's entrusted with making sure this money goes back to those kids are being spent on items they'll never see," Carrillo said.
Luther took control of the league's account in January of 2023, the warrant said. The previous treasurer provided a check balance of $8,018.19. More than $88,000 was deposited into the league account between 2023 and 2024.
During that time, Luther withdrew $37,430 from the account through checks and an ATM. There are no receipts for what that money was spent on, according to the warrant.
In the report, Luther told police she allowed other people to help with purchases. Luther said another person deposited money into the commissary account and purchased the airline ticket.
Carrillo said she turned herself in last Thursday, and court records show that she is out on bond.
FOX 4 reached out to the league for comment, but did not immediately hear back.
"I just hope this don't happen ever again," Carrillo said.
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