Police: Charity golf event founder pocketed funds

A Point Pleasant man who founded a charity golf tournament to honor the memory of a deceased friend is facing criminal charges for allegedly pocketing the proceeds.

Prosecutors said 44-year-old Michael Nelson, formerly of Maple Shade, established the Limmer Open tournament in 2000 as a tribute to James Limmer Kundrotas, who died in 1996.

Proceeds from the annual Burlington County event were supposed to fund a scholarship, to be given each year to a graduate of Holy Cross High School, which Nelson and Kundrotas both attended, according to authorities.

A cached version of the tournament's now-defunct website advertises the 2010 Limmer Open, the last year for which information is available, as being held at the Rancocas Golf Club at a cost of $125 per person.

Though the event listing states the funds raised are to benefit the scholarship, it instructs participants to send payments directly to Nelson.

Prosecutors said an investigation revealed Nelson actually discontinued funding of the scholarship in 2009, and it was abolished by school officials in 2011.

In addition, publicity materials for past Limmer Open tournaments pledged that proceeds would also benefit the American Heart Association, but no contributions in Kundrotas' name were made to the charity from 2009 to the present, according to investigators.

In all, Nelson allegedly used at least $20,202 in tournament profits to cover personal expenses.

Prosecutors said he failed to establish a separate bank account for the proceeds and instead commingled the money with his personal funds.

He also allegedly failed to register the tournament with state or federal authorities as a nonprofit fundraiser.

Nelson was arrested Sept. 15 at the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office and released on his own recognizance after being charged with theft by deception, failing to file a tax return and four counts each of filing a fraudulent tax return and failing to pay taxes.

The case will be presented to a Burlington County Grand Jury for possible indictment, prosecutors said.

Anyone with pertinent information is asked to call the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office at 609-265-5035 and ask to speak to a detective in the Financial Crimes Unit.