Man charged in baseball fraud scheme

St. Mary's County Police have arrested and charged Michael Erdolino, 38, after they say he ran a theft scheme involving a youth baseball league. 

 

As a result of their investigation involving a possible fraud and a local baseball organization, police were able to determine Erdolino, self established an organization named Southern Maryland Athletics Youth Baseball. 

 

The organization actively recruited children for his team that would be based in St. Mary's County. Erdolino established a $500 registration fee per player and held multiple fund raisers at various locations in St. Mary's and Calvert Counties to fund the team. 

 

In return for the registration fee, multiple victims say they were promised baseball practices, team insurance, qualified instructors, uniform and equipment. None of which occurred with the exception of a few practice sessions. 

 

Erdolino was unable to produce documentation of the accounting for the alleged organization that he created and was subsequently arrested and charged with theft $1,000-$10,000, theft scheme $1,000-$10,000 and 4 counts of theft under $1,000. 

 

Erdolino was released on a $5,000 bond.