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Charges: Former Lakeville South softball coach stole more than $15,000 from booster club

By FOX 9 Staff
Published  November 25, 2020 3:59pm CST
Lakeville
FOX 9
article

LAKEVILLE, Minn. (FOX 9) - A Lakeville high school softball coach has been charged after allegedly stealing more than $15,000 from booster club funds over the last two years.

According to the Dakota County Attorney’s Office, 65-year-old Eric Heflin, of Rosemount, faces three felony counts of theft by swindle for his alleged crimes beginning Dec. 2018.

Heflin was the varsity softball coach at Lakeville South High School during that time.

According to the charges, Heflin filed a reimbursement request of more than $2,300 for a project involving field work he said was completed by a company that did not exist. He appeared to have falsified the invoice.

When questioned about all of the fraudulent invoices, Helfin stated he was not sure if he submitted any “homemade” invoices to the Booster Club and acknowledged he made up invoices he submitted in one instance.

In total, investigators found he had falsified invoices on nine different occasions.

  1. $2,685 for indoor practices in December 2018, but the business was only billed $1,685 for the use.
  2. $1,875 for indoor practices in January 2019, but the business was only billed $875 for the use.
  3. $1,095 for indoor practices in February 2019, but the business was only billed $750 for the use.  
  4. $1,069 for softballs and helmets in April 2019, but the purchase was just over $100.
  5. $2,276 for uniforms in January 2020, but the order was only an estimate and the items were never ordered.
  6. $2,592 for field armor panels in February 2020, but the order was only a quote and the items were never ordered.
  7. $1,178 for cage divider screens, but the order was never placed.
  8. $1,144 for bases, but the invoices were fabricated.
  9. $2,550 for dugout signage. The business owner said he intended to donate the signs for the work to the program and did not ask for payment.

The Lakeville Police Department investigated the matter. Helfin is being summonsed to court and will make his first appearance in the next couple of weeks.