Saddle Brook football coach charged with embezzling donations

CLIFFVIEW PILOT SCOOP: Police Saddle Brook Recreation Football Commissioner Peter T. Asimakis was carrying several hundred dollars of fundraising money when he was arrested on charges of embezzling $4,400 by writing checks to himself from an account he created in the name of the Junior Falcon Coaches, Chief Robert J. Kugler said.

Peter Asimakis

Asimakis used some of the money to buy fast food, cold cuts, ice cream, chocolate and gas for his car, as well as for meals at Burger King and a sushi restaurant, the chief said.

Asimakis was released without bail following his arrest today pending a Municipal Court hearing on a single charge of theft and forgery, and three counts of fraudulent use of a credit/debit card, among other charges.

Additional counts could result as the investigation continues, Saddle Brook Police Chief Robert Kugler said. Meanwhile, he said, the charges filed today will be sent to the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office for grand jury action.

Asimakis, who since 2009 has held a few different jobs after working at the same company, had planned to open a sports bar on Midland Avenue.

According to Kugler, detectives found that Asimakis lifted the funds beginning last April and continuing through October.

He took the money by "fraudulently issuing and cashing checks to himself, as well as obtaining an account debit card and making various purchases and ATM withdrawals," the chief said.

Asimakis also "created false invoices and receipts, which he utilized to have it appear as support for checks he would make out to himself for reimbursement or debit card purchases," Kugler said.

"Some of the thefts included instances in which Asimakis wrote checks to himself and then falsified the canceled checks returned from the bank by removing his name as the payee and inserting a vendor’s name who had not supplied the services for the particular expense submitted."

In one instance, Asimakis made out a $899.99 check to himself as reimbursement for wristbands for a local fundraiser that cost less than half the amount, then submitted a bogus invoice, detectives found.

In another, he bought program supplies at Wal-Mart on a debit card, but took an additional $100 cash back that he pocketed, the chief said.

When he was arrested, Asimakis turned over $472.50 in proceeds he was carrying from recreation program events, including the annual “Field of Horrors” and a local party held at the VFW, Kugler said.