Ex-YMCA director sentenced to eight years for embezzlement

<p>The former executive director of the Valdosta-Lowndes County YMCA was sentenced to eight years in prison Wednesday and ordered to pay $1.4 million in restitution for an embezzlement scheme.</p><p>Nicky Tampas was convicted in November of charges that included spending about $58,000 on YMCA credit cards.</p><p>The sentencing closed the last of three cases involving the YMCA.</p><p>Former business manager Toni Fillyaw was sentenced in January 2005 to 3 1/2 years in prison for embezzlement, mail fraud and making false financial statements.</p><p>Wayman Lee Patrick Jr., a landscape professional hired by Tampas to work at the Valdosta and Lake Park YMCA, was convicted in December of embezzlement and conspiracy. He was sentenced to five years and five months in prison.</p><p>Authorities said Patrick was awarded landscaping and renovation contracts for the YMCA by Tampas, who then received kickbacks. According to an indictment, about 26 of Patrick's employees were paid by the YMCA while working on other jobs.</p><p>Evidence showed that Fillyaw failed to pay taxes for the 150 YMCA employees and began filing false tax statements in 1999 and continued until the discrepancy was discovered in 2002. Fillyaw also wrote checks from the YMCA account to herself totaling more than $40,000 and used YMCA credit cards for personal purchases that totalled more than $23,000.</p><p>___</p><p>HASH(0x1cdc040)</p>

http://accesswdun.com/article/2006/3/127991