Two Southport residents face felony theft charges for allegedly stealing approximately $375,000 from the Boothbay Harbor nonprofit Cuckolds Fog Signal and Light Station Council.
A Lincoln County Superior Court grand jury indicted Joseph Krulis, 58, and Todd Park Merolla, 65, on Class B charges of theft by unauthorized taking Sept. 12.
The indictments state that Krulis and Merolla, between Dec. 1, 2009 and Sept. 2, 2011, stole more than $10,000 from the nonprofit.
Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Lt. Michael Murphy said Krulis, while treasurer of the organization, would write checks to Merolla, his partner.
The organization discovered the missing funds after an audit and contacted the sheriff’s office.
Murphy said the amount of “misdirected funds” totals about $375,000, although he said it appears the men “have tried to pay some back.”
The phone number listed for Krulis was disconnected. Merolla referred questions to his attorney, but said he was “not at liberty” to disclose his attorney’s identity.
The president and vice president of the Cuckolds Fog Signal and Light Station Council, as well as other council officials, were not available for comment.
A July 12 press release from the council about the election of a new treasurer includes a reference to embezzlement.
“We are eager to put the embezzlement behind us,” Council President Gerald “Gerry” Gamage said in the press release.
A “rescue” or restoration of the historic island facility has been ongoing since 2007, according to the website.