Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity’s previous economical director pleads responsible to stealing almost $3 million

Curtis D. Anderson, who above 30 yrs labored his way up from bookkeeper to director of finances at Kappa Alpha Psi, one particular of the nation’s premier and most influential Black school fraternities, pleaded guilty Tuesday to thieving approximately $3 million from the group.

Anderson, 59 of Claymont, Del., explained very little throughout the listening to ahead of U.S. District Decide Timothy J. Savage, but he previously instructed investigators he stole the dollars to fund a gambling habit at a time when he was having difficulties with alcohol addiction.

Makes an attempt to get to Kappa Alpha Psi officials, whose worldwide headquarters creating is on North Wide Road in Philadelphia, were being not profitable Tuesday. Started in 1911, the fraternity has extra than 125,000 users with 700 undergraduate and alumni chapters in virtually just about every point out in the country and worldwide chapters in Nigeria, South Africa, the West Indies, the United Kingdom, Germany, South Korea, and Japan.

Prosecutors reported Anderson began thieving from the fraternity in June 2012 utilizing checks he possibly created out to himself or other individuals whose signatures he cast and exchanging them for funds. Santander Bank flagged the uncommon transactions and alerted the fraternity in 2018.

In all, Anderson cashed 78 fraudulent checks at Santander Lender and 40 at Wells Fargo Bank, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Crawley explained to the choose.

Anderson was fired in December 2018 after fraternity officials found out the lacking funds and confronted him. Anderson then confessed, telling his bosses he was struggling with gambling and ingesting addictions and had invested most of the funds at Harrah’s Casino.

He was formally billed in Oct 2020.

All through Tuesday’s hearing, Anderson pleaded guilty to four counts of wire fraud and a person rely of aggravated identification theft.

Savage established sentencing for Feb. 22 and authorized Anderson to continue to be totally free until then. While he would be offered credit score for having duty for his actions and encouraging the Justice Department with its investigation of him, the decide warned Anderson that there was no assure on the sentence he would impose. The choose observed that the greatest sentence could be as higher as 82 yrs in jail and a high-quality of far more than $1 million.

Federal sentencing recommendations connect with for a expression of in between five to 6 several years in prison, Crawley said immediately after the listening to.

“He stole almost $3 million from his former employer that had positioned him in a posture of have faith in as the director of finance,” she said. “It was a extended-standing fraud scheme to embezzle from his employer above a period of several many years. He reaped the reward of that.”

Anderson’s law firm, Brian J. Zeiger, explained Anderson is in cure for his gambling and drinking addictions. “He’s a truly wonderful dude,” he stated. “It’s truly a shame.”