Once trusted to guide children through the complexities of the law, the former head of a Las Vegas nonprofit now faces accusations of diverting hundreds of thousands of dollars from the city's police foundation into his own pockets.
Thomas Kovach allegedly diverted nearly $350,000 from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Foundation, a nonprofit that provides additional funding for police programs not included in the county budget, such as training facilities and community programs, to Project Real, a youth outreach program that teaches kids about the law.
He then paid himself more than $180,000 from the stolen funds, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal,
Kovach was serving as the executive director of both nonprofits when he allegedly began funneling money between them from April 2018 to November 2022. He then resigned from the Foundation in early 2023 and Project Real in July 2023.
The Review-Journal reported that Kovach was able to divert payments by hiding and miscoding them in the Foundation's accounting systems. He also didn't ask the Board's permission to make the transactions, which is required.
Dominic Gentile, Kovach's lawyer, told the Review-Journal the transactions were "100 percent legal" because his client earned the money.
Project Real's new executive director, Mike Kramer, said he and his colleagues hope to see additional charges leveled against Kovach to show "how he directly harmed Project REAL."
"We are devastated to know that when Project REAL comes up in conversation this week, it will be about decisions Kovach made – and not the work we do... Kovach is not Project Real," Kramer wrote.
The Review-Journal reported that, according to Kramer, Korvach was stealing money while Project Real was $115,000 in debt. At the time, Kramer was reportedly using his personal savings to keep the nonprofit running "because he believed it was close to success."
KTNV reported Kovach's first court appearance will take place on October 28.
