Park and Rec Commission Chair Accused of Stealing Funds From Local Little League
June 5, 2026
• Chris Gerstel, who formerly served on the Needham Baseball & Softball board of directors, is charged with allegedly defrauding the Little League organization out of more than $200,000.
UPDATE: Gerstel pleaded not guilty to all 17 charges against him in court Friday.
Gerstel, chair of the Park and Recreation Commission, was arrested Friday morning in connection with 12 counts of wire fraud, two counts of filing false tax returns and three counts of failure to file tax returns, according to federal prosecutors.
Wire fraud charges carry a maximum sentence of up to 20 years. Gerstel also faces up to 20 years for falsification of records, up to three for filing false tax returns and up to one for failing to file tax returns. The indictment was issued Friday.
Needham Baseball and Softball notified law enforcement of “potential financial irregularities” when made aware of the cash discrepancies, President Dave Volante wrote in a statement.
“Our priority has always been—and remains—the children and families of Needham who participate in our programs,” Volante wrote. “We are deeply disappointed by the allegations, but we are committed to transparency, accountability, and ensuring that trust in this organization remains strong.”
From June 2019 to October 2025, Gerstel allegedly made 212 transfers totaling $214,535 from NB&S funds to his personal bank accounts, according to the indictment. He allegedly used those funds to pay off personal debts, make personal payments and withdraw cash at casinos.
A new treasurer for the organization joined in April 2025, according to the indictment, and discovered “a large amount of money had been transferred from NBS’ Needham Bank account to the NBS ArbiterPay account in 2024.”
ArbiterPay is the platform some sports organizations use to pay umpires. At the time of the alleged conduct, Gerstel was the only administrator with access to that account, according to prosecutors.
The treasurer, who is unnamed in the indictment, uncovered that more than $265,000 had been transferred from the little league’s ArbiterPay to Gerstel’s accounts at Needham Bank and Capital One. In one instance, in February 2020, Gerstel allegedly transferred more than $1,000 from ArbiterPay to his account and withdrew about $900 cash at Mohegan Sun, a casino in Connecticut.
Since the discovery, NB&S “implemented enhanced internal controls and multi-layered financial oversight,” as well as updated their internal policies and consulted with an accountant, Volante wrote.
No town funds are believed to be involved, Town Manager Katie King said in a statement.
“The Town takes stewardship of public funds very seriously and maintains established financial controls and oversight procedures to safeguard taxpayer resources,” King wrote. “We will continue to monitor the situation and take any actions that may be appropriate based on the facts as they become available.”
In addition to the wire fraud charges, Gerstel is accused of failing to report funds he stole on his 2019 and 2022 tax return, totalling nearly $60,000. In 2020, 2021 and 2023, Gerstel failed to file his tax returns at all, according to prosecutors.
The charges come on the heels of significant financial concerns at NB&S, who had repeatedly requested additional town funds to cover field renovations and maintenance. Gerstel, as chair of the five-member P&R Commission, was in part responsible for approving those requests. The commission recently allocated $20,000 from its revolving fund for that purpose.
Ribbon-cuttings for the newly renovated Claxton Field and Needham High School tennis courts, scheduled for Friday, were postponed day of, likely in connection with the indictment. Gerstel was scheduled to preside over the events.
Stacey Mulroy, director of Park and Recreation, referred media comment to the town’s director of communication.
Gerstel is expected to appear in federal court in Boston Friday afternoon.
This follows another alleged fraud case involving Needham Junior Football and Cheer in 2024.
About 900 kids participate in NB&S each year, ranging from ages 5 through 16. Volante pointed people to the indictment for further questions.
“Our players, coaches, and families are at the heart of everything we do,” Volante added. “We remain fully focused on providing a safe, positive, and enriching environment for Needham’s baseball and softball players.”
Ashleigh Tobin contributed to the reporting of this story.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
