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Former Eagan coach charged with theft

By KATIE HUMPHREY, Star Tribune, 05/10/12, 6:24PM CDT

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A former Eagan High School basketball coach was accused on Thursday of pocketing money he collected from youth sports camps instead of giving it to the school district.

A former Eagan High School basketball coach was accused on Thursday of pocketing money he collected from youth sports camps instead of giving it to the school district.

The Dakota County Attorney's Office charged Kurt Virgin, 60, with six counts of felony theft by swindle, saying he stole $29,184 from the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan School District between April 2009 and December 2011.

Virgin, who lives in Eagan, did not return a call for comment.

According to the charges, Virgin had two options when he set up the youth basketball and soccer camps: Run them independently and pay for facility use or run them in cooperation with the district with fees waived and all money going to the school's general fund.

But Virgin didn't pick one or the other, asking some camp participants to pay him and others to write checks to the school district.

The school district had waived facility rental fees during the camps and paid Virgin his salary, which increased his total compensation and pension eligibility in retirement.

When confronted in November, the charges say, Virgin admitted that he had been told to pick one method or the other and said he could not produce copies of checks for camp registration that were written to him. He told investigators that money had been deposited in his personal accounts.

The charges also accuse Virgin of keeping nearly half the proceeds from fundraisers -- cookie dough and discount booklet sales by the school's soccer and basketball teams.

Virgin had worked for the district since 1980 and was the longtime Eagan High School basketball coach. He had also coached boys' soccer and supervised drivers' education.

He was placed on leave in November amid an internal investigation. His resignation was announced at a January school board meeting.

Katie Humphrey • 952-746-3286

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