NEEDHAM, MASS. (WHDH) - The chair of Needham’s parks and recreation commission was arrested Friday after allegedly stealing over $200,000 from a little league organization.
Christopher Gerstel, 50, appeared in federal court in Boston Friday afternoon to face 12 counts of wire fraud, two counts of filing false tax returns and three counts of failure to file tax returns.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Gerstel stole the funds to pay credit card debt and to make car payments and cash withdrawals at casinos while a member of the board of directors of Needham Baseball and Softball.
Needham officials released a statement following the arrest, saying:
“While this matter involves allegations related to a private organization and remains subject to the legal process, we understand that residents may have questions and concerns At this time, the Town has no indication that any Town funds, accounts, or financial resources were involved in the alleged conduct described in the indictment. The allegations pertain solely to the individual’s activities outside of their role with the Town.
The Town takes stewardship of public funds very seriously and maintains established financial controls and oversight procedures to safeguard taxpayer resources. We will continue to monitor the situation and take any actions that may be appropriate based on the facts as they become available.”
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