Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin announced that Daniel Doyle (age 67), of West Hartford, CT, was found guilty today by a Washington County Superior Court jury on all 18 counts charged in the Institute for International Sport embezzlement case. Doyle was found guilty of seven counts of embezzlement, one count of obtaining money under false pretenses, five counts of forgery, and five counts of filing a false document.
The jury returned the verdict after a week of deliberations that followed a trial presided over by Superior Court Justice Melanie Wilk Thunberg that began with jury selection on September 12, 2016.
During the trial, the State proved that Doyle embezzled approximately $1.14 million from the Institute for International Sport, a non-profit agency he founded in 1986 with the mission to use sports and the arts as mediums to forge relationships on a global scale and to address societal issues. Among the many programs of the Institute, the most identifiable was the World Scholar Athlete Games held at the University of Rhode Island.
The State proved that Doyle embezzled approximately $750,000 in unauthorized salary payments and loan payments from 2005 through 2011. In addition, the State proved that Doyle embezzled nearly $150,000 by paying the monthly balance on his personal American Express card from the Institute's accounts for unauthorized purchases including cosmetic eye surgery, Starbucks, restaurant and bar bills, clothing, groceries, and other items.
Further, the State proved that Doyle embezzled approximately $100,000 when he made tuition payments from the Institute accounts to Kingswood Oxford School and Oberlin College for his daughter, as well a $22,000 payment from the Institute accounts to fulfill a $50,000 personal pledge Doyle made to Bates College.
In addition, the State proved that Doyle embezzled approximately $120,000 of Institute funds when he paid for items from the Institute account associated with his two for-profit businesses – the Hall of Fame Press and summer camps.
The State also proved that Doyle obtained a charitable gift from the Hassenfeld Foundation under false pretenses when he misled the Foundation that the monies would be used to construct a building to support the Institute. Doyle failed to inform the Foundation that the funding for the building had already been secured and squandered. The building, located on property owned by the University of Rhode Island, remains an empty shell to this day.
In addition, the State proved that Doyle forged, or directed the forgery of, the names of individuals on the Institute's Non-Profit Corporation Annual Report for 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 and subsequently knowing filed those false documents with the State of Rhode Island.
"Today's verdict closes a long, sad chapter in the history of the Institute, an organization that was founded with the best of intentions, only for it to be destroyed by the same man who brought it to life. Dan Doyle deceived those who supported the Institute and its mission, his staff, and the public. Let there be no mistake – today's verdict is direct result of Dan Doyle's greed, deceit, and illegal actions. The fault lies with Dan Doyle alone," said Attorney General Kilmartin.
"I extend my deepest appreciation and gratitude to the team of prosecutors and investigators who have dedicated countless hours to the preparation and trying of this case. Vacations were cancelled, family events were missed, and the only priority was the successful prosecution of this case. I truly appreciate their commitment, and I hope the public recognizes the dedication of the employees for this and all matters that come before the Office" added Kilmartin.
Kilmartin also praised the jury. "I want to thank the jurors and alternates who put their lives on hold for nearly three months to hear this case and weigh all the evidence to come to the decision they did. This was a long, and at times tedious case, and through it all the jury was attentive and thoughtful in their deliberations."
During the trial, the State called 53 witnesses to testify and presented the jury with nearly 400 individual exhibits.
The investigation was led by Rhode Island State Police Detective Courtney Elliot, Investigator Gerard Ratigan, and Lieutenant Robert Creamer. Assistant Attorneys General J. Patrick Youngs and Mark Trovato and Special Assistant Attorney General Ryan Stys prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of Attorney General Rhode Island.