Two men used a defunct youth softball charity to collect over $3.5 million from stadium concessions, paying volunteers just $50 per event

Two men pleaded guilty to using a defunct youth softball charity to secure concession work at two major stadiums and receiving more than $3.5 million in payments meant for charitable purposes. Noly Hermoso Ilarde and Martin Jose Rebollo Jr. posed as representatives of Chula Vista Fast Pitch, a defunct charity that provided support for youth softball activities. They applied and were selected to provide unpaid volunteer services at Petco Park and Snapdragon Stadium, with about 10% of concession sales going to the charity. The scheme brought in approximately $3.5 million from Delaware North and more than $250,000 from Aztec Shops.According to the US Department of Justice, the men paid each supposed volunteer about $50 per event and divided the remaining money between themselves. Neither man gave any money to the charity, and none of the funds went towards youth softball or other charitable activities.How the two men used a defunct charity to secure stadium concession workIlarde pleaded guilty in federal court on March 11, 2026, to wire fraud conspiracy. He admitted that he and Rebollo had presented themselves as Chula Vista Fast Pitch, a defunct charity that provided support for youth softball activities. The pair applied to provide volunteers for concession work at Petco Park and Snapdragon Stadium.Their arrangement involved supplying unpaid volunteers in exchange for approximately 10% of concession sales going to the charity. Instead, the men paid each supposed volunteer about $50 in cash for each event. They then divided the remaining money between themselves. The plea agreements stated that no funds were paid to the charity or used for any charitable purpose.More than $3.5 million diverted from stadium concession paymentsThe charity received approximately $3.5 million in payments from Delaware North, the hospitality management company responsible for concessions at Petco Park. It also received more than $250,000 from Aztec Shops, the non-profit organisation in charge of concessions at Snapdragon Stadium. The two companies deposited the money into bank accounts controlled by Rebollo.Ilarde and Rebollo paid volunteers about $50 per event in cash and split the remaining money between themselves. Ilarde admitted that he personally gained more than $550,000 through the scheme. The payments from the stadium concession operations amounted to more than $3.5 million, based on the figures detailed in Ilarde’s plea agreement.What penalties do Ilarde and Rebollo face for the charity fraudRebollo pleaded guilty in December 2025 to wire fraud conspiracy, filing a false tax return, and Social Security fraud connected with the scheme. His plea agreement stated that his gain from the conspiracy exceeded $1.5 million.As reported by the US Department of Justice, Rebollo was scheduled to be sentenced on June 5, 2026. Ilarde, 57, from San Diego, pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy charges. Ilarde faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever amount is greater.What did the federal investigation revealedThe case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, IRS Criminal Investigation and the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General. Ilarde’s plea agreement identified Delaware North and Aztec Shops as the organisations that made payments to accounts controlled by Rebollo.According to the US Department of Justice, the defendants did not pay any funds to Chula Vista Fast Pitch. It also stated that none of the money was used for youth softball activities or any other charitable or non-profit purpose. Rebollo’s guilty plea covered three offences that are wire fraud conspiracy, filing a false tax return, and failure to disclose an event to the Social Security Administration.Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available information. The Times of India has not independently verified the details of the alleged fraud, payments, financial gains, or charges mentioned. The information should not be interpreted as a statement or confirmation from Noly Hermoso Ilarde, Martin Jose Rebollo Jr., or their representatives.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.