Tollefson's new strategy: Blame others

Defending himself in his fraud trial Tuesday, Don Tollefson offered a new layer to his legal strategy: blaming other people.

Accused of selling $340,000 in bogus travel packages to sporting events, the former sportscaster has faulted his addictions, lack of business acumen, and desire to help poor children through his charity.

But while sitting on the witness stand, Tollefson named seven people who bought travel packages for a 2013 Super Bowl trip, claiming they contributed to his financial undoing. Tollefson said they demanded to pick their own hotels and flights to New Orleans, a financial blow that sapped his ability to deliver future travel packages he had sold.

One of the people Tollefson blamed, Jim Krasley of Allentown, sued Tollefson over the trip. He claimed Tollefson failed to provide promised airline tickets, forcing him to buy them at the last minute.

In 2014, Krasley won a $3,300 civil judgment against Tollefson in a Montgomery County district court after Tollefson did not appear for the hearing. Krasley is not listed as a victim in the fraud trial.

Tollefson also went over his financial records to show how he spent large chunks of the nearly $1 million he raised for his Winning Ways charity, which benefits poor children. For instance, he said, he spent $75,000 taking a group of kids and others to the 2012 London Olympics.

But Tollefson did not show what happened to the money he got for travel packages he failed to deliver.

When Tollefson was not testifying in his own defense, he was interviewing witnesses who spoke glowingly about him. They included a 13-year-old boy and a man who, when he was a child, benefitted from Tollefson's charity.

Karim Lee Pendleton, 13, of Philadelphia, called Tollefson "Uncle Don." and told of accompanying Tollefson and other children to Eagles games and other sporting events. Tollefson, the boy said, also urged him to keep up his grades.

Marquis Wallace of North Philadelphia is now married and has a 3-year-old son. But he spoke in detail of how Tollefson took him on trips when he was a teen and how Tollefson showed an interest in his life. Wallace said Tollefson is his son's godfather.

The trial is expected to continue until at least Friday, as Tollefson calls more witnesses. They may include Eagles vice president Howie Roseman, who has not received his subpoena because he is in the Turks and Caicos Islands.