BallReviews

General Category => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: Pinbuster on April 21, 2017, 06:40:07 AM

Title: Bonding
Post by: Pinbuster on April 21, 2017, 06:40:07 AM
Has anyone dealt with the USBC and bonding of league funds?

The league prize fund had been audited and the correct amount withdrawn from the bank. (Over $17k).

Our league secretary says the league prize fund was stolen from his car earlier in the day.

The car wasn't locked and no police report had been filed yet.
Title: Re: Bonding
Post by: itsallaboutme on April 21, 2017, 07:13:54 AM
Good luck with that.  I hope there were a few raised eyebrows when everyone was told that story.
Title: Re: Bonding
Post by: zonepro on April 21, 2017, 08:09:00 AM
First off, your secretary is a moron and should be removed from the position.  Who keeps that amount of money in their unlocked car?  And who does not file a police report when it's stolen?  I know everyone is innocent until proven guilty, but it doesn't look good for your league secretary here.  In order to get the insurance through USBC, you'll need the paperwork that was filed at the beginning of the season.  The USBC covers the funds if the "Funds taken through the forcible entry into the premises or locked receptacle, where the funds are kept, of an officer or the center’s messenger. There must be visible evidence of forcible entry. An on-site police report is required."  Since the car was not locked and no police report, I can see them denying this.  Perhaps you could go the route of misuse of funds "A shortage attributed to dishonesty by a league officer." League officers are covered up to $10,000.  If there is more than $10,000 in the prize fund(as in your case), the leagues are covered provided the full amount of the prize fund is indicated on the league certification application when it was submitted. Further in formation can be found on page 85 of the 2016-2017 USBC rulebook. 
Title: Re: Bonding
Post by: luv2C10falll on April 21, 2017, 08:19:49 AM
You need to just take that Secretary out behind the wood shed and get your money back !!
Title: Re: Bonding
Post by: Aloarjr810 on April 21, 2017, 09:11:09 AM
they left it in a unlocked car?

Some info:

Bonding
http://usbcongress.http.internapcdn.net/usbcongress/bowl/rules/pdfs/League%20Bonding%20LOH%207-15-11.pdf (http://usbcongress.http.internapcdn.net/usbcongress/bowl/rules/pdfs/League%20Bonding%20LOH%207-15-11.pdf)

excerpt:
"Insurance does not cover funds lost by fire, mysterious disappearance or left unattended."
Title: Re: Bonding
Post by: bradl on April 21, 2017, 12:47:34 PM

Nothing to really add here, but just to say to keep us updated on what happens here, because this does not look good for that secretary, and to be honest, this is the first time I've heard of the entire league fund being lost.. some of it yes, but an audit found where the mistake was, but not ALL of it.

It also leads to some legal implications as well. Does anyone know what happens to the secretary if the secretary is found to be negligent? I mean, is there a USBC bylaw that sanctions a league secretary in cases like this?

BL.
Title: Re: Bonding
Post by: zonepro on April 21, 2017, 12:54:32 PM
If the secretary is negligent, the USBC can suspend them.  Also, the USBC will not insure a league where an officer misused funds in the past, or was ever convicted of a felony.
Title: Re: Bonding
Post by: JOE FALCO on April 21, 2017, 01:54:10 PM
I've been told that I have too much trust in people ..this story is VERY DIFFICULT to believe!
Title: Re: Bonding
Post by: Aloarjr810 on April 21, 2017, 02:36:02 PM
I've been told that I have too much trust in people ..this story is VERY DIFFICULT to believe!

Years back I went to another bowling alley for a tournament, as I was looking around.

I saw a list posted on the wall, it was list of people (mostly league officers) who committed violations on leagues.

There was thing's listed like theft, embezzlement, malfeasance in office and some other things I can't remember.

Title: Re: Bonding
Post by: michelle on April 21, 2017, 02:46:52 PM
Unlocked vehicle and the lack of an immediate police report are troubling...and will likely be an issue for replacement of funds.  And cash left unsecured is not often going to be covered by his vehicle policy either given that the vehicle was not broken into...and even if they would have covered if locked, the lack of immediate police report would be troubling.

I dare say the matter will not resolve nicely or neatly...
Title: Re: Bonding
Post by: Pinbuster on April 21, 2017, 03:41:54 PM
I have been bowling for over 50 years and this was a first for me.

They were suppose to meet with the police later but obviously not at the time of the theft.

They said they were getting ready to go to work, put the money in the car, then remembered something they needed and went back into their home for about 10 minutes. They didn't discover the theft till after after work. They are assuming it happened when they went back into the house.
Title: Re: Bonding
Post by: JPbowling151 on April 21, 2017, 04:12:44 PM
I call BS on that story. The men's league I bowl in now, about 2 yrs before I joined had a secretary who practically gave the same story.

What I heard was he left the entire prize fund (20k) in the back seat of his car in a briefcase along with his laptop, not realizing he left the car unlocked when he left it unattended for a moment only to come back to find it stolen. No one in the league really believed him for being that stupid to leave your car unlocked with that much money in the car, and it was known he was in quite a bit of financial trouble...oddly needing around 20k to cover his losses. Not sure what happened to him legally but I know he's banned from usbc and is no longer bowling. I think the bowlers were able to get a small portion of their money back from the league due to some kind of insurance but no where near the amount they were owed.
Title: Re: Bonding
Post by: Pinbuster on July 19, 2017, 08:37:37 PM
Update.

I don't know what the police reported or are doing on the case.

The USBC initially declined the bonding on the loss saying without evidence of a break in it was consider a mysterious disappearance of funds.

The league then filed a against the secretary with the USBC. The word is the account was over $9k short at the end of the year and that deposits had been significantly short every week over the season.

The secretary had to the end of June to respond to the charges. Nothing more is known at this time. I believe they feel the information is still confidential at this time.

The corporation that owns this house has now cut checks to all the league participants for the loss funds and passed these checks out tonight. If the USBC bonding pays any money back it will be given to the house to help cover the checks.

The house is putting in auditing rules on all league accounts to try and ensure that proper amounts are being deposited each week.

The secretary has been removed office. Depending on any USBC sanctions (if any) they can still bowl in the house but not hold league office.
Title: Re: Bonding
Post by: JOE FALCO on July 19, 2017, 10:03:15 PM
Thanks for the update!
Title: Re: Bonding
Post by: Bill Thomas on July 20, 2017, 03:24:10 PM
Based on this latest info about short deposits, I would say the league's President is in trouble for not verifying bank accounts.  The Pres. and the Secty. are likely going to be suspended by USBC.  By the way, stories like this come out just about every year.
Title: Re: Bonding
Post by: Tommy716 on July 20, 2017, 03:33:54 PM
money is the root of all evil, too bad.
Title: Re: Bonding
Post by: leftybowler70 on July 20, 2017, 03:40:51 PM
This story doesn't sound right, or adds up..... ???
Title: Re: Bonding
Post by: Impending Doom on July 20, 2017, 04:02:04 PM
Does the league secretary live in a VAN DOWN BY THE RIVER?
Title: Re: Bonding
Post by: Roller on July 20, 2017, 08:48:13 PM
This sounds exceedingly suspicious. I hope all resolves well for you and soon.
Title: Re: Bonding
Post by: Pinbuster on July 29, 2017, 01:08:32 PM
I heard today that the secretary has been suspended by the USBC until at least January 2019.

They could be reinstated at that time if they make restitution of the prize money.

I do not know the status of the bonding money but I would assume since the USBC acted against the secretary they would pay any money they thought was embezzled.
Title: Re: Bonding
Post by: ksucat on August 01, 2017, 12:20:47 PM
Have bowlers been paid by bowling center yet?  I would think owners have strong voice with USBC to get something done about this. 

I thought the bowling centers make deposits for all leagues themselves and give secretary check at end of league to get prize money.  Was this league different?

Sure does leave a sour taste in all who bowled in that league.

I'm interested to see how this ends.
Title: Re: Bonding
Post by: Pinbuster on August 01, 2017, 02:02:45 PM
ksucat - The center paid out the missing money a couple of weeks ago. To a degree they are banking on the USBC Bonding to pay them back.

The secretary made deposits through the center but the center does not audit how much the deposits should be (They will in the future). It appears the secretary was $200 to $300 short each week, which was the bulk of the prize money to be deposited. The league president should have been monitoring the balance each month but I think all they did was check to see if the balance reflected how much the league secretary had put into the account.

At the end of the year the house and league sponsor put about $5000 in the account for sponsor money. The final balance at the end of the year was around $8000 in prize money but I believe it should have been around 18K.

The secretary came to meeting and claimed most of the prize money had been stolen from his unlocked car. He had the prize money for hi-10, hi-30 and some team round money, I would guess about $2000. But all the team position money was missing.

Last word I had was the secretary was suspended by the USBC until at least January 2018 and then they could be reinstated if the money was paid back. If the money is not paid back I don't know how long the suspension could be for.

A question I have at this point is the secretary would probably be the association bowler of the year and on the all star team. I wouldn't think they would name someone that who is suspended but again they did accomplish it during the season before suspension.
Title: Re: Bonding
Post by: itsallaboutme on August 01, 2017, 02:09:24 PM
Pretty much the only thing a league president has to do is run the meetings and audit the money.  The president should get a year off for not doing his or her job.
Title: Re: Bonding
Post by: Big Richard on August 01, 2017, 03:34:45 PM
Pretty much the only thing a league president has to do is run the meetings and audit the money.  The president should get a year off for not doing his or her job.
   

I totally agree with this. As an ex secretary of a league I am really doubting this story. I know that when I had to make the big withdrawl at the end of the season for these payouts I always had someone go with me, and then I would go right to the center to get the payoffs ready for the rolloffs ( payout and rolloffs was always on the same night). The President of the League always checked the deposits, and the Bank we deposited into would send out a statement each month that I had to show at a league meeting.
Title: Re: Bonding
Post by: northface28 on August 01, 2017, 06:34:21 PM
This guy is lucky hes not in leagues I'm in. He would have come up with the money or left the center on a gurney in the back of an ambulance. His choice.
Title: Re: Bonding
Post by: ksucat on August 02, 2017, 10:41:22 AM
Definitely fits the "that kind of stuff never happens" category.  My daughter was volunteered to be on local association board and this secretary is on there as well.  Bowling is pretty much his life.  Would like to be a fly on the wall when his future gets discussed.  Everything I've heard sounds fishy at best.  With the lack of protocols not in place, the USBC must take action against secretary for sure and possibly president for his lack of supervision.  I hope this will be lesson for our community. 

I'm still in shock of this whole story.  Worst thing I ever remember was that our envelope was short a couple times from what we thought was turned into secretary.  It was brought back to us that night to be resolved.  I started paying with check from then on to show my proof of payment.