A member of the Edgewood Athletic Boosters is facing charges after officials accused her of misusing the organization's funds. Patricia Bietenduvel, 52, was arrested following an investigation initiated by concerns from fellow Booster members, said the Butler County Sheriff's Office. She allegedly made several unauthorized purchases on the club's credit cards and received cash back repeatedly.
Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones announced, "This criminal activity was brought to our attention by the Edgewood Athletic Boosters and we worked together to close the case." Sheriff's officials, however, did not disclose the total amount of money Bietenduvel is alleged to have taken, WCPO reported. The Edgewood Athletic Boosters is an organization that supports athletic programs in the Edgewood School District.
Upon investigation, it was discovered that Bietenduvel also acquired possession of the proceeds, which prompted her to be charged with multiple felonies, including theft, misuse of credit cards, and receiving stolen property. WLWT obtained a statement from the Butler County Sheriff's Office breaking the charges.
The repercussions faced by Bietenduvel could serve to remind others in positions of trust not to give in to the temptation to misuse resources meant for community benefit. She was officially arrested on Wednesday and is slated to be arraigned the following day, as Local12 reported. Deputies have not released details on what was bought with the stolen funds.
