A former assistant athletic director at the University of Minnesota has been sentenced for embezzling just over $361,000 from the school over the course of five years.
Brent Holck, 37, who was in charge of ticket sales, was given a lighter sentence than expected for having taken responsibility for his crimes and making efforts to pay back the money he stole.
According to TwinCities.com, Holck was sentenced Monday to 21 months in prison for a crime that carried a suggested sentence of 33 to 41 months.
From April 2012 through January 2017, Holck perfected a scheme that involved cancelling ticket sales to games after they’d taken place and then depositing the refunded money into his own accounts.
He also issued game tickets and parking passes to acquaintances, who then sold them and kicked back most of the proceeds to Holck.
“This was not an example of a fleeting lapse of judgment,” John Kokkinen, assistant U.S. attorney. “This was repeated conduct over the course of five years.”
Holck’s scheme was uncovered when a customer showed up late to an event, prompting the university to review its ticket orders.
Holck is a gambling addict and was using the money to cover his debts. He has since sought treatment for the problem and is working with a financial planner to determine how to make restitution.
The University of Minnesota hired Holck in 2008, paying him a salary of $94,003.
