INDIANA TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A former treasurer is accused of stealing over $140,000 from a local youth baseball and softball league.
Carla O’Brien, 48, of Indiana Township faces charges of theft by unlawful taking, misapplication of entrusted property, receiving stolen property and access device fraud.
O’Brien served as the Fox Chapel Baseball Softball Association’s treasurer from 2019 to 2024.
The league has 25-35 baseball and softball teams, and around 750 kids play on them.
The association’s board of directors met with police in October 2024. Board members said the organization raises money through registration fees, fundraisers and donations. The money is deposited into five different PNC bank accounts. Two accounts pay for the teams’ trips to Cooperstown, another is for registration, a fourth is used to pay for the league tournament and the final is for charity funds.
O’Brien was in charge of managing all of those accounts, depositing and writing checks, maintaining debit cards and monitoring bank statements. She was voted out in July 2024. Her replacement and the league president tried to meet with her to exchange information but they told police O’Brien made multiple excuses on why she could not attend the meetings.
Court documents say O’Brien called a board member on Sept. 18, 2024, and said she had “messed up big time” and admitted to taking money because she was in a rough spot. The board member reported this to the league president, who then met O’Brien.
Police said O’Brien told the president she thought she took about $20K-$30K and said she used some of the money to pay for secret credit cards from Sam’s Club, Synchrony and Bank of America. O’Brien also gave the president a total of $3,498.63 and said it was the remaining money from the PNC bank accounts.
Police say O’Brien told the board president she used the association’s money to pay off the credit cards, which she said were kept hidden from her husband.
Channel 11 sources confirm her husband is a lieutenant with the Pittsburgh Police.
Investigators reviewed bank statements and learned O’Brien began taking money when she first took her position in 2019. Court documents say she took $147,408 for personal use. Police said she used the money to pay off the credit cards she mentioned but also made payments at retailers including: Amazon, Wine and Spirits, Target, Jim Shorkey Chrysler, State Farm Insurance, Kohls, Nike, White House/Black Market, Sephora, TJ Maxx, Giant Eagle, Stock X Sneakers among other various restaurants, pharmacies, concert venues and pet supply stories.
Channel 11 went to O’Brien’s house Thursday night. No one came to the door.
Her attorney, Phil DiLucente, sent a statement to Havranek.
“Judge [Matt] Rudzki arraigned my client today on the charges and granted non-monetary Bond on the allegations. We are hopeful to have this matter resolved sooner rather than later.”
She is scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing in late April.
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