Before a district judge in Warminster, former Philadelphia sportscaster Don Tollefson waived all charges against him to Doylestown for trial.
Tollefson, 61, of Glenside, waived charges of first degree felony dealing in the proceeds of unlawful activity, third degree felony charges of theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception and first degree misdemeanor violations of the Pennsylvania Charitable Organizations statute.
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Sharif Abaza, the attorney representing the Tollefson, said following the hearing that they decided to waive the hearing to avoid “burdening” or “inconveniencing” the 10 victims the prosecution had lined up to testify Thursday morning.
A report on PhillyMag.com said that District Judge Daniel Finello called Tollefson a “big disappointment to everybody in the Delaware Valley.”
Ben Finley, a Philadelphia Inqurier reporter, tweeted that authorities announced Tollefson’s alleged crimes bilked over 150 people and involved $250,000. At the time of Tollefson’s arrest, Deputy District Attorney Ryan Hyde said the theft was at least $100,000 and expected to grow as the investigation progressed.
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Tollefson, who previously worked for 6abc and Fox 29, is accused of selling ticket, travel and room packages in the name of charity. The packages ranged from several hundred to a few thousand dollars. In the end, the parties who purchased the ticket packages for Phillies spring-training games, Eagles games, the Super Bowl and Kentucky Derby never receive agreed upon sports trips and tickets they paid for.
Officials say Tollefson, known to local television viewers as “Tollie,” scammed at least 100 people from around the Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley areas. Police say the former sportscaster “misappropriated” more than $100,000, adding that figure doesn’t include funds charity groups were promised but never received.
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According to the authorities, Tollefson fraudulently solicited money for charities and then misappropriated the cash. Some of the charities include the Special Olympics of Pennsylvania, the Salvation Army and the Brad Fox Foundation.
The Bucks County investigation began in September and involved police from around the Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley areas.
Investigators have discovered that at least two of Tollefson’s charities, both for disadvantage children, were not registered with the state Bureau of Charitable Organizations. Only charities making less than $25,000 a year do not have to register.
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Tollefson is accused of telling people who bought ticket packages that his organizations were tax exempt.
Authorities previously said the people of the Philadelphia area are very charitable and some were likely “embarrassed” to come forward.
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The 61-year-old is currently undergoing rehab for addiction while out on bail and is living off Social Security disability. Reports online say Tollefson is separated from his wife.
“It is no secret that Mr. Tollefson has an addiction problem. On that note it should be no secret that Mr. Tollefson has been working on a daily basis to fight that addiction and remain in recovery,” CBSPhilly.com quoted Abaza as saying.
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“As he left the district court Thursday, Tollefson shook hands with many members of the media and thanked them for respecting his family’s privacy,” an article on the website of the Allentown Morning Call states.
No trial date for Tollefson has been set.
