Former Austin Peay track coach pleaded guilty to taking more than $30K in university funds
(The Center Square) — A former Austin Peay State track and field coach pleaded guilty to taking more than $30,000 of university funds this week.
Douglas Molnar received the funds at track and field fundraiser events between 2015 and 2018 and then deposited nearly $30,000 in funds into a checking account that he held.
The account, called “Douglas Molnar, DBA Tennessee Athletic Project,” received 21 checks that Molnar deposited that were made out to Austin Peay State University.
Molnar was Austin Peay’s coach from September 2004 until June 2019.
The Tennessee Comptroller’s Office investigated the funds and found out about both the account and $600 in fraudulent travel expenses that it says “either overstated or fabricated how much he had spent for the track team to attend track meets when he claimed reimbursement from the university.”
Molnar then pleaded guilty by criminal information on Thursday in the Criminal Court of Montgomery County to the felony offense of theft of property over $10,000.
Molnar was ordered to pay $30,600 in restitution and was given judicial diversion relief while being placed on four years’ supervised state probation.
“We appreciate that Austin Peay officials reported these allegations to our office,” Tennessee Comptroller Jason Mumpower said. “As a result of these findings, we encourage the university to ensure that fundraiser collections from track and cross country events are turned over for deposit to university accounts. Collected amounts should also be reconciled with deposits to reduce the chance of misappropriation.”
Those fundraising events for which Molnar kept the funds included the 2016 and 2018 Austin Peay Governors Invitational ($10,365), the 2015-18 High School Classic ($12,020); the 2015-17 Wilma Rudolph Relays ($2,200); and the 2015-17 Cross Country Festival events ($5,190).
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