The former treasurer of a Norfolk youth soccer club is facing criminal charges.
Police say Brodie Allan Elias Chambers, age 33, of Norfolk County was taken into custody by the Norfolk OPP Crime Unit on Friday, March 3, 2023.
Officers began a fraud investigation in February 2023 after receiving a complaint from a youth soccer club in Norfolk County.
The accused is charged with criminal breach of trust; fraud over $5,000; and use deals, acts on forged document.
“Thousands of dollars were fraudulently obtained,” said Const. Ed Sanchuk of Norfolk OPP, adding he could not disclose the name of the soccer club or league because they are the victim.
The allegations against Chambers have not been proven.
Mandie Marques, treasurer of the Norfolk Soccer Club in Delhi, said in an email that Chambers is not involved with that organization.
“It’s a shock, to say the least,” said Adam Veri, vice-president of the Port Dover Minor Baseball Association who confirmed that Chambers is the association’s current president.
“I don’t know anything about his time with youth soccer,” he said. “I actually didn’t know he was on the executive there until I received the call that he’d been taken into custody.”
Veri noted that Chambers has only been a (PDMBA) board member since June of 2022, and was elected president “a month or so ago.”
“The organization’s president had to resign suddenly for personal reasons, and Brodie offered to step up. He’s also coached for the organization,” Veri said.
Veri said that to the best of his knowledge, there have never been any financial issues in the PDMBA.
“There is appropriate financial oversight by the board,” said the vice-president. “Two signatures are required on all cheques, and we stay on top of the organization’s financial status through regular discussions at meetings.”
Chambers is scheduled to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Simcoe at a later date.