Lake Hallie woman accused of stealing $83K from CF basketball program
Feb. 21—CHIPPEWA FALLS — A Lake Hallie woman has been charged with stealing $83,000 from a youth basketball program in Chippewa Falls.
Lisa R. Johnson, 54, 13626 42nd Ave., was charged in Chippewa County Court on Friday with a felony count of theft in a business setting. Johnson is slated to appear in court April 12 before Judge James Isaacson.
According to the criminal complaint:
The thefts occurred between September 2014 and August 2021. A Chippewa Falls police officer met with the president and the treasurer of Cardinal Flight Girls Basketball, a nonprofit organization based in Chippewa Falls. The organization's leaders said there had been fraudulent activity from their account, with money taken by the former treasurer, identified as Johnson.
Girls who participate in Cardinal Flight typically "age out" of the program after eighth grade, but Johnson had continued to be treasurer after her daughters were no longer involved in the organization.
When the new treasurer took over in August 2021, it took several weeks before Johnson gave her the books. The new treasurer immediately saw some discrepancies and went through data going back to 2013.
It is common for the basketball organization to purchase grocery items to be sold at basketball tournaments they host. The treasurer said there were often cash withdrawals within a day or two prior to the tournaments to pay for the items. Money would then be returned to the account after a tournament concluded. Tournaments would typically generate $2,000 in revenue. The new treasurer indicated that she believes "there were instances in which Johnson would not deposit all the money after a tournament due to the low deposit amounts."
For instance, only $901.75 was deposited in February 2020 after three tournaments, far less than what those events typically generate in revenue.
The investigator went through payments made from the account, which included a private phone bill, as the organization doesn't have a cell phone. Other payments were made at restaurants, bars, department stores, Mall of America, Micon Cinemas, Universal Insurance and other entities. In August 2021, the account was used to pay airfare and baggage fees for Delta Airlines tickets.
"Based on the information provided, it appears Johnson misused the account for the amount of $83,846.93," the complaint reads. However, she later deposited around $73,919 back into the account. The officer explained that it is still a theft of $83,000, but $73,000 would be applied toward restitution.
The officer interviewed Johnson in November, where "Johnson admitted she had been borrowing money from the account the entire time she was in charge of it." She claimed she used the money to support her children.
Court records show Johnson was previously convicted of disorderly conduct-domestic in 2005.
