Montco man charged with stealing from youth groups

A Montgomery County man who served as treasurer for two youth athletic groups has been arrested for stealing $40,000 from the organizations.

Michael H. Hrouda, 36, of North Hills, was president and treasurer of the Abington Bulldogs Youth Wrestling club from 2008 until 2012. During those years, authorities said, he "withdrew cash from the Bulldogs' accounts for his own personal expenditures." Investigators said he took $14,000 without authorization.

Between June 2010 and July 2012, he also was treasurer of the Ardsley-North Hills Athletic Association, from whose accounts he also is charged with making numerous illicit cash withdrawals. He also took money from its PayPal account, police said. He is accused of taking more than $26,000 from the group's accounts.

Hrouda was charged with theft, receiving stolen property, forgery, access-device fraud, and related offenses, authorities said Friday.

Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman said Hrouda had betrayed the trust that comes from neighborhood volunteers running local athletic clubs.

"Many such organizations become close-knit associations of friends where there is a high level of trust amongst all the participants," she said. "For this reason, allegations of theft from community youth sports organizations represent a gross violation of trust.

"It is a sad day when a person entrusted with money raised by and for kids steals directly from our children."

Hrouda was arraigned Friday morning before District Judge Patricia Zaffarano and was released after posting $10,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 30.