Don Tollefson found guilty of fraud

Former sportscaster Don Tollefson was found guilty by a Bucks County jury Wednesday of stealing more than $340,000 from people and charities, reports said.

Tollefson, 62, was found guilty of all charges including theft, fraud, misuse of charitable funds, deception, and money laundering, according to The Inquirer.

The former TV personality convinced more than 200 people and several charities to buy into fraudulent sports-trip packages that he said benefited his personal charity. Those packages, however, were never awarded and money was never refunded. His charity was never registered.

At the closing arguments of the trial, which lasted 11 days, Tollefson claimed he was a bad businessman who have trouble keeping track of his charity’s finances and not a crook, according to the newspaper. Tollefson, who originally pleaded guilty in September but then withdrew his plea, promised to pay off his debts someday.

His sentencing date was not scheduled, but faces a maximum of 37 years in prison, but he will most likely receive a lesser sentence due to state laws restricting long sentences for first-time offenders, according to the newspaper