Franklin County Woman Indicted for Theft from Booster Club
The Tennessee Comptroller’s Office, in conjunction with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, has completed an investigation of Heather Franklin, the former South Middle School Trojan Athletic Booster Club treasurer.
The investigation began after booster club and school officials reported questionable transactions in the booster club bank records.
Investigators determined that Heather Franklin, who subsequent to her tenure as treasurer changed her name to Heather Harris after marriage, stole at least $4,927 from the booster club between November 2016 and March 2017.
Franklin stole the money by keeping at least $4,087 in cash that was collected from concession sales at basketball games. She also wrote a booster club check for $840 that was used to pay loans for her personal vehicles.
Franklin covered up her misappropriation by making false entries in the booster club’s records. She later admitted to investigators that she took the booster club’s money to pay personal expenses.
In November 2018, Heather (Franklin) Harris was indicted by the Franklin County Grand Jury on one count of theft over $2,500.
“Tennessee booster clubs are required by law to establish procedures to ensure that money is safeguarded,” said Comptroller Justin P. Wilson. “In this case, booster club officials failed to separate financial responsibilities, review bank statements, and ensure that two signatures were required and included on all checks.”
To view the investigation online, go to: https://comptroller.tn.gov/office-functions/investigations.html
If you suspect fraud, waste or abuse of public money in Tennessee, call the Comptroller’s toll-free hotline at 800.232.5454, or file a report online at: www.comptroller.tn.gov/hotline. Follow us on twitter @TNCOT
Media contact: John Dunn, Public Information Officer, 615.401.7755 or john.dunn@cot.tn.gov
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