Crime & Safety
No Charges Planned in Alleged Coach Kickbacks
The Capistrano Unified coaches implicated and fired in connection with an alleged kickback scheme involving a sports equipment company won't face charges, the District Attorney says.
A spokeswoman for the district attorney's office said this week the Capistrano Unified coaches implicated in an alleged kickback scheme with a sports equipment company won't face criminal charges, the Orange County Register reports:
"Based on the evidence submitted to us, we did not feel there was sufficient evidence to prove a criminal case," D.A. spokeswoman Farrah Emami said. "We need to be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a crime occurred."
Capistrano coaches and teachers Charles "Chi Chi" Biehn, Brent Melbon and Eric Patton were terminated after the school district accused them of stealing tens of thousands of dollars of taxpayer money.
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Four other coaches and teachers – Ken Goldstone, Jeff Veeder, Joe Wood and Ken Workman – were formally reprimanded after being put on leave from their coaching duties.
Read the rest of the Register's education reporter Scott Martindale's story here.
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