High School Basketball Coach Faces Embezzlement Charges As Team Heads To Playoffs

A high school basketball coach in Pennsylvania is facing charges for allegedly embezzling nearly $250,000 from a non-profit organization where he served as volunteer treasurer, authorities said.

The Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office this week announced the arrest of 40-year-old Michael Fantuzzo of Lower Burrell in connection with the theft of $246,708.01 from the Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Association (POTA), a non-profit professional association headquartered in Montgomery County at the time.

Investigators say POTA elected a new board of directors last year, and they discovered the theft after launching a review of the association’s finances. The review uncovered “questionable withdrawals and payments from the organization’s bank account as well as purchases made using the non-profit’s credit card,” according to the DA’s office, and they reported it to authorities on Nov. 26, 2025.

The thefts occurred between May 2021 and September 2025. According to bank records, credit card records and receipts/payments records, Fantuzzo allegedly charged more than $128,000 to the POTA credit card for personal purchases including “a family trip to Disney World, an Outer Banks vacation rental, country club membership fees, limousine service, and purchase and installation of a hot tub” at his home, along with property tax payments.

Fantuzzo allegedly used more than $100,000 of the stolen funds to make payments on his personal credit cards along with a “significant payment” to his own PayPal account.

Fantuzzo turned himself in Feb. 6 to face charges of theft by unlawful taking or disposition and two counts of theft by deception. His bail was set at $100,000 and a preliminary hearing was scheduled for Feb. 17.

Burrell School District Superintendent Shannon Wagner confirmed in a statement that Fantuzzo had been suspended from his position as head coach of the Burrell High School boys basketball team, which is heading into the first round of playoffs on Friday.

“We have been informed that the allegations of misconduct have nothing to do with Burrell School District. Regardless, the coach has been relieved of his duties until the outcome of the Montgomery County proceedings,” she said. “In the meantime our current assistant coach and volunteers will be in charge of the team.”