The former athletic director of H.W. Byers High School, identified as Nick Coln, has been arrested on charges of embezzlement, according to state officials in Mississippi. Coln is accused of misappropriating funds he collected via CashApp from student athletes under the guise of purchasing athletic equipment, WREG reported.
State Auditor Shad White's office arrested Coln and subsequently announced that the former athletic director could potentially face prison time along with fines if convicted. Specifically, Coln stands to receive up to $5,000 in fines and five years in prison, as was outlined in the allegation put forth by White's office. "Coln allegedly received funds through CashApp from student athletes to purchase athletic equipment and then converted those funds to his own personal use," White elaborated in a statement issued by the State Auditor’s Office and obtained by Action News 5.
The incident has cast a shadow over the trust inherent within the educational sports programs, with money that was intended to buy necessary sports gear, such as bats, balls, and shoulder pads, being redirected for individual gain. The breach of trust was severely criticized by the State Auditor, who articulated a strict stance regarding the misuse of funds meant for the betterment of student activities. "We have a zero-tolerance policy for theft of taxpayer money at the Auditor’s Office," White declared, a sentiment echoed in an article provided by FOX13 Memphis.
Details about when Coln will appear in court to face these charges have not been made immediately available, but the revelations have certainly to taken seriously by both the community and those involved directly within the school's athletic department. An investigation by the Auditor’s Office was lauded for uncovering this alleged scheme, with White thanking his investigators for their diligence. "Thank you to our investigators who helped uncover this scheme," White said in the same announcement cited by FOX13 Memphis.
