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Businessman embezzled $41,000 from baseball association, police say

INDIANA TOWNSHIP, Pa. — An Indiana Township businessman is accused of embezzling tens of thousands from the Fox Chapel Area Baseball/Softball Association.

John Rice was well-liked and a key player of the association. As treasurer, Rice was entrusted with tens of thousands of dollars in donations which came pouring in to improve this baseball field in Indiana Township.

Allegheny County district attorney investigators have charged Rice with embezzling more than $41,000 from the Fox Chapel Association and more than $30,000 from his previous position as treasurer of Indiana Township Athletic Association -- a total of $74,000.

The whole thing came to light when the association started getting calls from contractors who were hired to refurbish live like Lou Field in Indiana Township. They said they hadn’t been paid and they were owed thousands.

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Those complaints led to a full-on investigation in July when the vice president of the baseball association went to police about the missing money and told them as treasurer Rice was the “only person with access to the association's bank accounts”

When questioned by DA investigators, Rice said “All the money was in an investment account he owns collecting interest.”

But DA investigators said that money was stolen, “deposited, commingled, and spent by Rice on personal items and living expenses."

League president Bill Urso said the following about the incident:

        "We are deeply saddened by the actions of Mr. Rice and will work tirelessly to recoup those losses remain committed to providing a positive and rewarding youth baseball and softball environment for children to Fox Chapel and surrounding towns"  

Channel 11 reached out to Rice's attorney, but we did not hear back.