A former president of Gungahlin United soccer club embezzled more than $112,000 from the club, while touting a narrative he was helping it out of financial woes, police allege.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Aaron David Alexander, 48, faced 108 charges of obtaining property by deception on Thursday. Magistrate James Lawton indicated he would roll the charges into one - accounting for all Mr Alexander's alleged offending between April 4, 2017, and April 10, 2018.
Mr Alexander has not entered pleas to the offences.
Documents tendered to the court said Mr Alexander - who is a permanent resident of Australia, having emigrated from the United States - served as president of Gungahlin United Football Club from September 2016 until July 2018.
During that time, he had sole access to the club's bank account, despite colleagues' attempts to act as co-signatories in line with Gungahlin United's policy.
The documents said the club's former treasurer became suspicious of Mr Alexander when he withdrew $3000 from the account, claiming it was for food and merchandise ahead of Gungahlin United's gala day.
A "sufficient" amount had already been set aside for that purpose, the documents said.
When the treasurer asked Mr Alexander to return the money, he said he couldn't remember what it was for, but eventually deposited it back into the club's bank account, the documents said.
On another occasion, Mr Alexander allegedly spent nearly $5500 on flights and airfares for himself and 11 others, under the guise they were being paid for by a new club sponsor.
The treasurer allegedly confronted Mr Alexander about a host of other suspicious purchases, and he retorted by saying that "he didn't have time for bullshit questions, he was the president and she shouldn't question him", the documents said.
The treasurer resigned in September 2017. A police investigation, pursued by her former colleagues, allegedly found Mr Alexander had also spent club money on a car lease, car registration for his Land Rover Defender, a parking fine, movie tickets, and a dart board, among dozens of other items.
His alleged spending over the some 12 months ending April 10, 2018, totalled $112,343.49, the documents said.
In a story for The Canberra Times in March 2018, Mr Alexander said he was asked to join the soccer club because of his "commercial history", and he had a "solid understanding of how to run a business". He said when he joined the club, it was engaged in voluntary receivership action, but its finances had been brought back into order.
At the time the article was published, Gungahlin United was indebted to Capital Football for almost $150,000, the documents said.
Mr Alexander was arrested on February 5, 2020. Mr Lawton on Thursday refused his bail application, noting the extent of his alleged offences, and the fact he told police what appeared to be a false address.
Mr Alexander is due in court again on February 13.