Newspaper Clipping - Newspaper Clipping Scan - Kurt Virgin Ex Coach Eagan High School Theft by Swindle - 5/11/20121
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V ±,gin accursed of putting
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By Mariceila'Miranda r
m miranda@Pioneerpress.com
-A former 16h9tirne Eagan High
School basketball =coach is ' accused
of stealing more than`. $29;000 fxom
sports camps and- fundraisers that
he - oversaw`far the'sciool
Kurt Bruce Virgin, 60 of " Eagan
was charged by summons Thursday,
May 10, in Dakota County 'District
'Court with six_counts:of, felony „theft
by swindle._ : ...
Virgin organized mer
sum, ;basket
ball caiips and a soccer camp for flip
He- began
...a�avu, - Alep1(.11
and drivers'ediacation for the riistriet
ui 1980, and 'he' coached basketball
and soccer.
Virgin was placed on paid leave'in
"November and'retired in January
` The district is honoring the terins
of Virgin's retirement agreement,
according to the tedclers' contract;
said Mark Parr, ' director of second-
ary education for the district:
If Virgin is convicted' .of a crime,
EX - COACH CHARGE®; 313>
CONTINUED FROM IB
- c c
that may, change, Parr said.
"This . is a, charge that's
pending,' he said. "We can't
have ' those conversations
right snow
li December, Parr reported
to police suspicions that Vir-
gin was diverting camp regis-
tration money to his personal
bank accounts, ac ording to a
cr",: * 1 complaint;;.:
Parr also suspected that Vir-
gin 'Was siphoning -funds from
student funds aising... `
lni - the fall, school officials
had found fliers fora .camp
Virgin, was overseeing, the
complaint - said. .The fliers
asked that registration fees
be sent to Virgin's home.
Some fliers stated checks
should. be ,payable. to Virgin,
while. .others stated Eagan
High School.
By running the camps under
`both options, Virgin used the
school's facilities without hav-
ing to pay., rent, the charges
said:
hi November, school officials
questioned Virgin.
Virgin declined -'to produce
copies of fhe,checks,for regis-
trations paid to him'. He also
said that_ he dep osited ._the
registration money into his
personal accounts.
The school reported a loss
of .$16,595 from 2009 to 2011 in
camp registration fees, -.the
complaint said. ,The school
also reported a loss of $12,589
from annual fundraisipg, Vir-
gin coordinated for the
school's soccer and basketball
teams..
. `.@Financial crimes of this
nature are very troubling,”
Dakota County Attorney
James Backstrom said in a
statement issue_ d Thursday.
Since 2006, Backstrom's
office 'has charged 22 adults
With economic crimes iii
excess of $50,000.. Eight of the
cases involved schools or
youth sports organizations.
If convicted of the three
harshest theft by swindle
charges,. Virgin could, serve
up to 10 years_in ;prison. He is
scheduled to appear in court
June 11.
Virgin does not havea dims-
inal history, according to state
records.
He did not return a phone
message Thursday.
Mariceila Miranda can be reached
at 651 - 228 -5421. Follow her "at
twitt&r.com/mariwritesnews.
Staff writer Chris Magan
contributed to this report,
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