Man Who Embezzled $125,000 from Connecticut Nonprofit is Sentenced

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that THOMAS RECCK, 52, of Cincinnati, Ohio, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Alker Meyer in New Haven to five years of probation, the first six months of which RECCK must serve in home confinement, for embezzling from a Connecticut-based nonprofit organization.  Judge Meyer also ordered RECCK to perform 600 hours of community service while on probation.

According to court documents and statements made in court, RECCK, a former resident of New Britain, was the Treasurer for Connecticut Canine Search and Rescue, Inc. (“CCSAR”) in Kensington, a volunteer-based nonprofit organization dedicated to the search and rescue of missing and lost persons in the United States by using trained search and rescue dogs.  In his capacity as the treasurer, RECCK had access to the bank accounts of CCSAR.  From approximately January 2008 to August 2012, RECCK transferred more than $125,000 from CCSAR accounts into a separate account that he controlled and used the funds to gamble and for other personal expenses.

RECCK also failed to report the stolen funds on his federal tax returns.

On February 4, 2015, RECCK pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of filing a false tax return.

RECCK was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $125,649.77, as well as back taxes, penalties and interest for the 2008 through 2012 tax years.

This investigation was conducted by the Connecticut Financial Crimes Task Force, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division and the Greenwich Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito.