The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the San Diego County District Attorney’s office are both investigating a series of stadium and venue scandals, recently revealed by Voice of San Diego.
Voice’s investigation has centered on a system of labor exchange not well known to the public. All across the country, nonprofit groups provide workers — who are supposed to be volunteers — to staff concession stands at major venues. The nonprofits get to keep roughly 10 percent of the take, in theory, to fuel their mission.
But Voice found one supposed nonprofit — claiming to support girls’ softball — didn’t do charity work of any kind. It raked in, at minimum, hundreds of thousands of dollars while operating in Petco Park for nine years and also at Snapdragon Stadium. Further reporting showed other supposed nonprofits paid people under the table and below minimum wage to work at most of the major venues around the region — including Snapdragon, Petco, North Island Credit Union Amphitheater, Sports Arena and the former Qualcomm Stadium.
These groups provide significant levels of staffing to the venues.
The FBI’s investigation began after Voice exposed Chula Vista Fast Pitch, the phantom nonprofit, in August, according to sources familiar with the investigation.
August 28, 2023
FBI officials declined to answer any questions.
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