Treasurer of youth football league accused of stealing from organization

CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla.- The treasurer of a youth football league is accused of stealing from the organization. Brandi Nolette has been arrested for using the league’s credit card to pay her own, personal electric bill.

“To do something to an organization for kids, it disgusts me, it totally disgusts me,” said Bob Norus, who recently took over as the president of the Englewood Cats youth football organization.

“It does make me a little upset that someone does things for the kids and that someone would take it,” added Nicole Dunning, who is a parent with a child in their first year of the program.

350 kids from 5 to 14 years old play youth football every fall in Englewood. Investigators say a couple of months ago the people who run the league discovered several thousand dollars was missing out of a safe in the office. This, Nolette was charged with using the leagues credit card to pay her $700 electric bill.

“All the money’s donated,” explained Norus. “Kids do pay to play but, you know, with the helmets and the equipment and everything else, we try to get the top notch stuff and when any money is taken from the organization it doesn’t hurt me, it doesn’t hurt a parent, it hurts those kids.”

Since they discovered the money missing in October, the league has made changes. They got rid of all the people who were running the organization and added new people in.

Norus was on the board for years but took a year off, “I came back this year because of all the turmoil and we’re trying to get to the bottom of it right now.”

Dunning likes the program, “It keeps the kids out of trouble and keeps them doing what they need to do.”

Norus added, “Football is more than just a game. It teaches them discipline, respect, it teaches them so much more. To take that away from a kid, it’s terrible.”

Nolette has only been charged with stealing the $700 for her electric bill which, the Sheriff’s Office says, she has paid back.