Tom Sponseller, SC lobbyist, msg 2/19/12(Found Deceased)

[MuffyBee]

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/03/05/3070250/hospitality-association-will-do.html
Hospitality Association will 'do the right things'
March 5, 2012

[MuffyBee]

http://www.wistv.com/story/17103913/scha-to-hold-4-pm-press-conference-thursday
SCHA news conference will discuss "findings" in internal investigation
March 7, 2012

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - Following the death of its former head executive, the South Carolina Hospitality Association will hold a news conference Thursday afternoon.

New association chairman Rick Erwin will be on hand for the press conference at the Clarion Townhouse Hotel on Gervais Street at 4:00 p.m.

A spokesperson for the association says Erwin will discuss the findings of an internal investigation.

A federal investigation into hundreds of thousands of funds missing from the organization was recently turned over to federal prosecutors.
 ::snipping2::

Comments:
Rossarian Jones
38 mins ago
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I would not belive anything they say.

[MuffyBee]

http://www.wltx.com/news/article/177863/2/Hospitality-Association-Says-480000-Missing-?odyssey=tab|topnews|bc|large
Hospitality Association: $480,000 Missing, Questionable
March 8, 2012

Columbia, SC (WLTX) - Leaders with the South Carolina Hospitality Association said Thursday that an internal audit revealed over $480,000 in money was "misappropriated or of questionable nature."

The trade group held a news conference to discuss the findings of their audit.  That was initiated after federal investigators began looking into the group and the association's CEO died.

Rick Erwin, the chairman of the association, called the conclusions of the report "shocking" and "inexcusable."
 ::snipping2::

"The bottom line is that about $480,944.93 has been identified as either misappropriated or of questionable nature at this date," Erwin said.

The audit found a "consistent pattern" of questionable transactions that escalated as time went on. The missing funds came in the form of checks, payroll, deposits, and expenses, the group states.

Erwin says two people were in charge of reporting the financial status of the group to the board: Tom Sponseller and Rachel Duncan.
 ::snipping2::
However, Erwin made clear in his remarks that there is no direct evidence of wrongdoing by Sponseller. The Secret Service has also said Sponseller was not a target of their investigation.

Still, Erwin said that Sponseller, in his role leading the group,
"should have known."

Duncan--who served as the group's director of accounting and membership--is no longer with the assocation.

Erwin would not say who may have taken the money, only confirming their report was being turned over to the U.S. Secret Service to help in their probe. Erwin confirmed that he and other employees have spoken with investigators, and say they are offering full cooperation.

During the news conference, Erwin said that the group has an annual budget of $1.1 million, meaning that roughly 10 percent of funds were unaccounted for since 2009.
 ::snipping2::

[MuffyBee]

http://www.theitem.com/news/ap_state_news/article_bea2d8e6-41e4-5afa-9ca9-4f04523dc104.html
Hospitality Association says about $480K missing
March 9, 2012

COLUMBIA - A three-year audit found about $480,000 missing from the bank account of a South Carolina tourism lobbying group, but nothing to directly link the missing money to the founder of the organization, who committed suicide last month.

But the chairman of the South Carolina Hospitality Association said Thursday Tom Sponseller was allowed too much control over the organization he founded two decades ago, and the members were stunned to hear the results of the audit. He blamed a second worker in the four-employee office, financial director Rachel Duncan, for taking the money. Sponseller mentioned in his suicide note he was disappointed with Duncan, saying she was like a daughter to him.
 ::snipping2::
Sponseller's suicide note mentioned the hundreds of thousands of dollars missing from his organization's account. Sponseller founded the Hospitality Association more than two decades ago and was involved in almost all aspects of the group.

He was its public spokesman, it chief lobbyist and prepared its financial statements, reporting them to the board along with Duncan.

Duncan is the target of a federal investigation into the missing money, said U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Michael Williams, but no charges have been filed against her. Duncan's lawyer, Greg Harris, declined to talk about the case after Erwin spoke to reporters Thursday.

The money missing from the association came from deposits, expenses and payroll, Erwin said.

Duncan, who handled the association's payroll, reported around $70,000 in income on tax statements last year, and she should have only made about $40,000, Erwin said.

Members of the Hospitality Association were disappointed that so much money could have left the organization and the problems could have lasted that long without Sponseller knowing or reporting them, Erwin said.

"Absolutely, Tom should have known," Erwin said.

The Hospitality Association only paid for an audit starting in 2009 on advice of an outside accountant. But the review found money may have started disappearing before then, and Erwin said the organization may check its books further back.
 ::snipping2::

[MuffyBee]

http://www.midlandsconnect.com/news/story.aspx?id=728673
Coroner officially rules Sponseller death a suicide
March 9, 2012

COLUMBIA (WACH) -- After an autopsy and several additional tests, Richland County Coroner Gary Watts has officially ruled Tom Sponseller's death a suicide.
 ::snipping2::
In a release Watts said that toxicology results show no signs of drugs or alcohol in Sponseller's system at the time of death. The coroner said additional tests of gunshot residue, firearm and ballistic testing of the gun and bullet, DNA, and hand writing tests all indicated suicide.
 ::snipping2::

[Sister]

http://www.midlandsconnect.com/news/story.aspx?id=728673
Coroner officially rules Sponseller death a suicide
March 9, 2012

COLUMBIA (WACH) -- After an autopsy and several additional tests, Richland County Coroner Gary Watts has officially ruled Tom Sponseller's death a suicide.
 ::snipping2::
In a release Watts said that toxicology results show no signs of drugs or alcohol in Sponseller's system at the time of death. The coroner said additional tests of gunshot residue, firearm and ballistic testing of the gun and bullet, DNA, and hand writing tests all indicated suicide.
 ::snipping2::

The taking of one's own life is so hard to understand and is so difficult for the family.  Many prayers headed their way.