A former director of a local youth football league is accused of embezzling nearly a quarter of a million dollars from the organization.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced on Friday that William Edward Spencer, 57, had been charged with felony and misdemeanor counts of theft by unlawful taking, along with two charges of misappropriation of entrusted property.
Investigators said Spencer served as director of the Washington/Greene Youth Football League, now known as the Western Pennsylvania Football League, from 2013 to March 2025, when he resigned.
The Western Pennsylvania Youth Football League is made up of 44 youth organizations around the area.
Channel 11 first reported the investigation in March.
Sunday said Spencer used 187 fraudulent checks to pay himself about $230,000 from the league accounts. That money, police say, was put toward bolstering a retirement account, funding credit cards and making purchases at Amazon, restaruants and other retailers.
“Our investigators in this case untangled a five-year web of theft that impaired this youth sports league while lining the pockets of the defendant,” Attorney General Sunday said. “These are very serious charges regarding criminal conduct that betrayed financial contributors to the league’s prosperity, as well as the many coaches and young athletes involved in the league.”
Specner is now in custody.
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