- A Maryland man stole $29,000 in proceeds from a middle school fundraiser.
- He spent the money on himself and gambling companies like DraftKings, the Baltimore Banner reported.
- He was the treasurer of the parent-teacher-student association.
A Maryland man stole $29,000 in proceeds from a middle school fundraiser. That's a lot of chocolate bars.
James Michael Harris, who was the treasurer for the parent-teacher-student association at Stemmers Run Middle School, pleaded guilty to theft in March 2024. Police first issued a warrant for his arrest the previous July. According to court records seen by Business Insider, Harris first began siphoning funds from the account in April 2022.
News of the theft was first reported this week by the Baltimore Banner.
The outlet said a school staffer and a parent confronted Harris after becoming suspicious, prompting him to admit the theft. He said he spent thousands of dollars on himself and the rest on gambling sites like FanDuel and DraftKings.
Gambling is an ongoing problem for a growing swath of Americans. The National Council on Problem Gambling reported that 2.5 US adults are thought to meet the criteria for a severe gambling problem "in any given year."
Back in 2011, a study by the University of Buffalo found that Americans were more addicted to gambling than alcohol. Since then, a US Supreme Court decision paved the way for states to legalize sports betting. The rise of online betting sites like DraftKings and FanDuel has now introduced a whole new segment of Americans to gambling and made it as easy as possible.
Harris took a plea deal that temporarily paused sentencing for six months so he could pay restitution, The Baltimore Banner reported. He's so far paid $8,000 with money intended for his retirement. He faces 10 years in prison.
A representative for Stemmers Run Middle School told BI that it and the Baltimore County Public Schools are not responsible for the PTSA's debts.
"PTA is a separate entity from the school system. BCPS and Stemmers Run Middle School are not responsible for its debts," the school said in a statement. "Stemmers Run has a new principal this school year and she has been working diligently to meet the needs of students, families and staff while partnering with the PTA."
Representatives for Baltimore County Public Schools, World's Finest Chocolates, DraftKings, FanDuel, The Baltimore County State Attorney's Office, and the Baltimore County Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI.
Rosemary Roos-Whitney, the president of the PTSA, said the theft had deep consequences that reverberated across the school.
In the wake of the theft, student-athletes no longer have snacks after school, dances are canceled, gifts for staff during Teacher Appreciation Week are no more, and parent volunteers have quit the PTSA. Additionally, the PTSA struggled to pay World's Finest Chocolate — who supplies the treats — the $6,815 it is owed, according to The Baltimore Banner.
"Those kids worked so hard to raise that money and they got nothing for it in return," Roos-Whitney told the outlet. "It's really disappointing."
