A lawsuit filed by three former workers of Bellflower St. John Bosco alleges that extremely adorned soccer coach Jason Negro embezzled cash from the Catholic college for years and had assistant coaches pay the schooling for prized gamers in money, saying the funds have been from “nameless donors.”
The submitting in Los Angeles County Superior Courtroom additionally alleges that Negro performed all monetary transactions related together with his powerhouse program in money that he retains in a protected in his workplace, with no accounting or accountability by the college.
California Interscholastic Federation bylaws state that “anyone tied to the college can not give out cash based mostly on athletic skill,” and a spokesman for the Southern Part mentioned that offering cash to gamers for tuition is a “potential violation.”
Plaintiffs Brian Wickstrom, Melanie Macaurel and Derek Barraza allege that they have been improperly fired final yr and search restitution, reinstatement and unspecified punitive and basic damages for emotional misery. Wickstrom was the St. John Bosco president and chief govt from July 2020 till July 2024, Macaurel was the chief monetary officer from February 2023 till July 2024, and Barraza was vp of expertise from August 2021 till September 2024.
“The Salesian Order’s termination of Wickstrom and Marcaurel was motivated by the will to guard the soccer program and its head coach Jason Negro from scrutiny or oversight of unlawful conduct,” the lawsuit alleges.
The submitting additionally alleges that officers within the Salesian Society, a Roman Catholic spiritual order based within the late nineteenth century by Saint John Bosco to take care of poor youngsters through the industrial revolution, retaliated in opposition to the plaintiffs for reporting the violations, citing what is named the California Whistleblower Safety Act.
Macaurel, particularly, confronted Negro concerning the apply of gathering money and making funds, demanding that the soccer program adhere to established accounting practices, however was met with “fierce resistance” from the coach, based on the lawsuit.
One of many assistants who allegedly delivered money to the enterprise workplace for overdue tuition for gamers was Jake Negro, Jason’s brother who’s the particular groups coach and a arithmetic trainer at St. John Bosco.
Jason Negro, a 1991 St. John Bosco graduate, grew to become coach in 2010 and nearly instantly elevated this system to a degree on par with longtime reigning Southland energy Mater Dei. By 2013, St. John Bosco went 16-0, profitable its first Southern Part championship and state title and incomes a No. 1 nationwide rating by Max Preps and USA Right now.
St. John Bosco once more topped the nationwide rankings in 2022, profitable its fourth state title underneath Negro, who took residence nationwide coach of the yr honors. He’s nonetheless the coach and a trainer on the college.
“St. John Bosco Excessive College is conscious of claims made in opposition to the Salesian Society and myself by former workers of St. John Bosco,” Negro mentioned in an announcement. “An impartial investigation has already been performed and all of the information will come to mild in courtroom. The declare has been within the arms of our authorized workforce and our faculty will defer all inquiries to them.”
Among the many allegations detailed within the lawsuit are that solely money was accepted as cost for youth camps run by St. John Bosco, that gear given to Negro by Nike was offered for money and that the proceeds from parking, sport packages and raffles at residence video games have been paid in money to Negro.
Money from Negro’s protected additionally paid for the teaching workers to take periodic “retreats” to the Palm Springs space, the lawsuit alleges. “There, the soccer workers engaged in profligate spending for lodges, meals, and huge quantities of alcohol. Assistant coaches raved that they have been capable of go consuming on ‘Bosco’s dime.’ Negro, who arrange these retreats, was reluctant to offer receipts or another accounting to Marcaurel.”
Marcaurel and Wickstrom tried final yr to finish the cash-only system and run soccer income and bills by way of the college enterprise workplace, with Marcaurel issuing a “corrective motion proposal” that included hiring a licensed public accountant. The Salesian Order responded by sending consultants to the college as a substitute of hiring a CPA, based on the lawsuit. The consultants, Jay Conner and Cathy Vivian, “promptly demonstrated that they weren’t there for the Salesians’ said intent, however as a substitute used the audit as a ruse to return and rid the enterprise workplace of its present workers and squelch the audit that would supply any accountability for the soccer program,” the lawsuit alleges.
Money funds to Negro and assistant coaches weren’t reported as revenue to the Inside Income Service or Franchise Tax Board, the lawsuit states, alleging that “Negro, in pocketing and utilizing for his private use a lot of the money obtained for the soccer program, engaged in embezzlement and fraud.”
Wickstrom was fired by Salesians official Fr. Mel Trinidad, who based on the lawsuit “violated California companies legislation by inserting himself as principal and CEO of St. John Bosco Excessive College.” Per week later, Trinidad fired Marcaurel, the go well with states.
Barraza, a 1999 St. John Bosco graduate who did quite a lot of duties for the enterprise workplace and athletic division, was fired in September for “his perceived loyalty to Wickstrom and Marcaurel,” based on the lawsuit.
St. John Bosco issued an announcement shortly after Wickstrom and Marcaurel mentioned they have been fired, pledging assist for Trinidad and for an elevated management function by the Salesians.
“Over the past a number of months, the Salesian Society has engaged in a interval of discernment relating to how one can finest place SJB for future success,” the assertion learn. “It grew to become clear to Fr. Mel Trinidad, the Salesian Society’s present Provincial, and SJB’s different company members that they need to play a bigger function in guiding the college’s management and shaping its future.
“Consequently, they’ve directed a number of management modifications within the college’s administration. They’ve additionally just lately applied quite a few different modifications, and so they anticipate that further modifications could also be made sooner or later.
“The objective of those efforts is to higher align the college’s governance and operations with the Salesian imaginative and prescient. The Salesians pray that these modifications will allow SJB’s college and workers to higher serve the scholars of SJB and their households within the spirit of St. John Bosco.”
Reached for remark on the time, Negro pledged his unqualified assist for the Salesians, saying, “We’re in an superior spot.”
Instances workers author Eric Sondheimer contributed to this report.