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COOPER CITY, Fla. – City officials accidental they’re troubled by the apprehension of a erstwhile president of the Cooper City Optimist Club, who is facing “serious” fraud and theft charges.
Jail records obtained by Local 10 News connected Tuesday amusement that Herminio Molina, 57, is facing 1 number each of expansive theft of much than $10,000 but little than $20,000, and obtaining spot nether $20,000 by fraud.
Deputies with the Broward Sheriff’s Office said the probe into Molina began Jan. 4, aft a Cooper City Parks attraction supervisor and an adjunct parks manager reported that Molina had rented a city-owned shot tract without authorization, collecting a $200 Zelle outgo from an idiosyncratic who wished to stay anonymous.
Authorities said tract rental occurred connected Dec. 14, 2024.
Though Molina returned the $200 successful currency to the manager connected Jan. 9, helium besides allegedly asked him to prevarication to constabulary and accidental the transaction was authorized, according to an apprehension affidavit.
Authorities said the manager refused and gave a sworn connection confirming Molina had nary authorization to rent metropolis fields oregon judge wealth connected the city’s behalf.
Detectives said Molina’s actions prompted a wider probe into his fiscal dealings.
Investigators accidental they uncovered a signifier of “deceitful” behaviour involving idiosyncratic enrichment done donations, concessions, and instrumentality purchases intended for the Cooper City Optimist — a nonprofit younker sports enactment unaffiliated with the city.
Zelle records subpoenaed by investigators revealed that Molina accepted a $7,700 donation from Soccer Capacities LLC connected July 31 and Sept. 9, 2024, to acquisition 10 metallic instrumentality boxes from ASM Metal Works.
Investigators said Molina utilized the donation to wage ASM but past submitted reimbursement requests to the Optimist Club arsenic if helium had personally covered the cost. The club’s treasurer, who was unaware of the donation, approved 2 reimbursements totaling $7,700.
The affidavit besides details 2 $1,000 donations made by Sharp Blades Barbershop and Pool Service Inc. done Molina’s idiosyncratic Zelle account, according to the affidavit.
Authorities said neither of those donations was turned implicit to the Cooper City Optimist until Jan. 17 — months aft they were received and lone aft Molina learned helium was nether investigation.
Detectives confirmed that Molina collected $3,358.86 successful concession basal income done Zelle — $1,780.10 successful noted payments and $1,578.76 successful payments accordant with income but lacking description.
The affidavit states determination were nary Zelle deposits of akin size oregon frequence to Molina’s accounts anterior to the concession basal activity.
Despite collecting wealth implicit respective months, authorities said Molina did not crook implicit immoderate concession proceeds to the Optimist Club until Dec. 21, 2024, erstwhile helium wrote a cheque for $281.50 successful beforehand of a concession manager.
The concession manager told deputies that she recovered the magnitude suspiciously debased for an full play and had ne'er earlier been asked to witnesser a reimbursement check, according to the report.
Deputies said Molina’s fiscal behaviour displayed a signifier of continued deception — from collecting unauthorized tract rental fees and delaying donation transfers to seeking reimbursements for expenses already covered by donors.
While the Optimist Club operates independently, the Cooper City leaders issued a connection Tuesday, saying it volition proceed to cooperate with investigators and is reviewing its ain policies regarding tract and installation rentals.
“The City values the Club’s long-standing mission, its affirmative relation successful our community, and its interaction connected the lives of section youth,” the connection work successful part.
Records amusement Molina remains astatine the Broward Main Jail arsenic of Tuesday morning, wherever helium is being held connected a $20,000 bond.
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About the Author
Ryan Mackey
Ryan Mackey is simply a Digital Journalist astatine WPLG. He was calved connected Long Island, New York, and has lived successful Sunrise, Florida since 1994.
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