Former Cleveland Browns wide receiver Reggie Rucker, who had roles with two non-profit organizations, is accused of stealing more than 100 thousand dollars from those groups to pay gambling debts and personal expenses. He is accused of stealing the money from Amer-I-Can Cleveland and Cleveland Peacemakers Alliance, which tries to resolve conflicts between feuding street gangs. Kevin Niedermier of member station WKSU in Kent reports.
Rucker is facing one charge each of wire fraud and lying to the FBI about the
alleged misuse of the funds. Federal investigators say he used his celebrity and
status in the community to con local foundations and citizens into donating to his
organizations. It alleges that between 20-11 and early last year Rucker withdrew
nearly 50-thousand dollars from the non-profit organizations for personal use. Dean
Valore (va-LOR-ee) specialized in public corruption cases when he was with the U-S
Attorney's office in Cleveland. He explains the wire-fraud charge.....
Valore
"Any sort of electronic medium, or when funds are transferred electronically with a
criminal or fraudulent purpose, and when the bank of financial institution holding
or maneuvering those funds is a federally insured institution under the FDIC, then
the federal government has jurisdiction."
The investigation into Rucker's use of charitable funds became public last summer.
At the time he said he was cooperating, and charged that he may have been set-up.
His arraignment is set for next Wednesday.
