Charity’s Ex-Chief Admits to Stealing

The founder of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation has pleaded guilty in federal court in Buffalo, N.Y., to stealing $1.8-million from the foundation.

Jerry L. King deposited money from the foundation into a bank account in Hong Kong from 1991 to 1993, when he was president of the organization, according to federal prosecutors. At the time, Mr. King was involved in the toy-manufacturing business in China.

Mr. King, a former Marine, started the charity in 1991 to raise money and promote the Marine Corps Reserves’”Toys for Tots” program, which distributes toys to needy children at Christmas. He was forced to resign in 1993 when federal authorities began investigating his financial activities. The case dragged on for several years while Mr. King fought to keep his Hong Kong bank records from being disclosed to prosecutors.

He is scheduled to be sentenced in June, and faces up to eight years in jail and fines of up to $500,000.