Former golf pro Kevin M. Kennedy, who was in charge of operations at two municipal golf courses in Massachusetts and allegedly stole almost $1 million out of the properties is on trial. Kevin M. Kennedy, a member of the Department of Justice prosecuting team, hatched a scheme to trick employees into funneling funds into his personal account.
According to MassLive.com , the 44-year old is facing trial on multiple counts of money laundering, conspiracy, and wire fraud.
Kennedy Golf Management Inc. was the name under which he ran two of Springfield’s public golf courses: Franconia Golf Course, and Veterans Memorial Golf Course.
According to a prior release from the Massachusetts Department of Justice Kennedy set up a scheme where employees would transfer money from city bank accounts to his company:
KGM had to collect motorized cart fees and greens fees for the City of Springfield as part of its duties. Kennedy is accused of embezzling greens fees and motorized cart rental fees that the City owed by stealing money directly from its cash register. Kennedy also allegedly diverted payments to KGM terminals. Kennedy allegedly provided false records to the city in an effort to hide the scheme. These records allegedly underreported golf course revenues and daily activity. Kennedy is accused of using the stolen money for personal expenses, such as building homes in East Longmeadow and West Dennis. He also failed to declare the income on his tax returns from 2010 to 2014.
It has taken many years for the case to reach trial. Kevin E. Kennedy has many political connections to the area, having worked more than 20 years for U.S. Richie Neal, who is now the Springfield mayor’s office Congressman Richie Neal was both a congressional assistant and the city’s chief economist.
Franconia, a 18-hole golf course designed by John Van Kleek, opened in 1929. Veterans Memorial opened in 1964. Geoffrey S. Cornish designed it. He had over 200 courses under his belt, including the Pines Course of the nearby International Golf Club, in Bolton Massachusetts, which he renovated in 1954 (with Francis Ouimet’s input).
Kennedy, according to MassLive has denied that he stole any money from the City. His defense attorney insisted that the discrepancy was due to a poorly drafted contract with the City. The money would be used to pay local contractors for real estate.
Eric Powers is the Assistant Chief of the Criminal Tax Division of the Department of Justice. He said that by 2015, the defendant embezzled almost $1 million. “He taught them to ring in revenues using his registers. He cheated those employees. He told them he’d pay back the city, but he didn’t. This money was instead transferred to his personal bank account.”
