LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — We're learning more about nonprofit leader, Thomas Kovach Jr., and his alleged theft scheme spanning from 2018 to 2022.
Kovach is facing 19 felony theft charges, accused of diverting nearly $350,000 from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Foundation to Project Real when he was executive director there. Police allege Kovach then paid more than $180,000, or 52% of the stolen funds, to himself.
Former accountant for the nonprofit Project Real, Deborah Granda, spoke only to Channel 13 about her experience working with Kovach while he was the executive director at that organization.
"Difficult at best," said Granda, describing her time with Kovach. "I had to chase him all over town to get paid. There were times I'd wait three or four months to be paid. It was very frustrating when I'd see him getting paid every month without fail."
Granda said Kovach was rarely in the office and when she would ask about certain financial transactions, his responses would be vague.
"I would say to Tom, 'we got this money in from Metro, but I don't have any grant, I don't have any documentation. Can you get me some documentation to back this up for the file?'" said Granda. "I would get like, 'oh, they're working on it.'"
As the financial bookkeeper, Granda said she was aware of every penny coming in and out of the nonprofit. When she started to suspect what might have been happening, she quit.
"The Foundation decides they're going to donate $10,000 on October 30. Then on November 1, Tom takes $9,000," said Granda. "In April of 2022, Tom had taken an SBA loan, Covid loan for Project Real for over $100,000. The CPA and I were on the phone and we were like, we're done."
Granda told Channel 13 she also found it strange that Kovach was listed as a consultant for Project Real while serving as executive director.
"Tom was never an employee. He was not a W-2 employee. He was a 1099 consultant. And who hires a 1099 consultant as our executive director? Like, it just did not make sense," said Granda.
Granda said she also had no one to bring her concerns to.
"The only official board members were Tom and another person. And the other person basically just said, anytime I tried to approach her on any issues, the response was, 'he's in charge, he's the one you need to take up your issues with,'" said Granda.
Channel 13 obtained a 58-page Metro declaration of summons detailing what detectives found in their course of investigation into Kovach.
The documents show several people who worked with Kovach at LVMPD Foundation and Project Real — where he was the head of both — when interviewed by detectives.
Karen Marben, the current LVMPD Foundation executive director, told Metro detectives she took over in August 2023 and found several "questionable" activities by Kovach.
Marben said she found there was "significant financial support to Project Real" and contributions to other nonprofits Kovach was a part of.
In one instance, Marben said there was a donation made to the LVMPD Foundation from the Gratitude Project of $37,5000 on March 3, 2020. Then, a check from the Foundation to Project Real was written by Kovach on March 17, 2020.
Marben also stated feedback was "overwhelmingly negative" about Kovach and the foundation's former Financial Director Flor Bernal-Gonzalez.
Channel 13 spoke briefly to Bernal-Gonzalez at her home on Thursday.
She said she has "no knowledge" of checks being given to Project Real from the Metro Foundation.
This is despite her telling detectives she "knew the Foundation was providing funding to Project Real," according to the summons. Bernal-Gonzalez has not been charged.
Marben spoke to Channel 13 on Thursday about the changes the nonprofit has made since she took charge.
"Our hope is that our donors will continue to know that we are to be trusted and every dollar that is invested in our organization is going to go to the purpose in which it was intended for," said Marben.
The LVMPD Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Its mission is to help Metro fund certain things that are not allotted in the county budget such as community events, new technology and training facilities.
"We are continuing to do the good work in our community," said Marben. "The work that we are doing is extremely important and impactful to the community."
Marben took over as head of the Foundation in September of 2023 and said she immediately went to make corrections. This includes a new board committee, putting in best practices for nonprofits and meeting with the financial chair twice a week.
The Foundation said Kovach left as executive director in early 2023. According to the summons, the Foundation's marketing director Pamela Puppel told detectives she believed "he was leaving on his own, but then found out he was fired by the board."
Mike Kamer, the current executive director for Project Real, sent us this statement:
"This week, Project REAL’s Board learned of the 19 felony charges brought against Tom Kovach, and the allegation that he used Project REAL to take money from the LVMPD Foundation without authority.
While allegations are not verdicts, the sheer volume of apparent improprieties we have seen in the news and other documents amplified a sense of betrayal we were already processing, after having contributed to the investigation of Kovach earlier this year.
As victims of Kovach, we became aware in March of a criminal investigation into him. We hoped that charges would be leveled against him related to how he directly harmed Project REAL, and although we are disappointed that currently they do not reflect that, we remain patient and hopeful that additional charges will eventually be announced.
The board and I are incredibly frustrated that our opportunities to expand on this matter are limited, however it is in everyone’s best interest that we do everything we can to preserve the integrity of any potential investigations related to crimes we believe he committed against Project REAL.
While that process unfolds, we ask the community to stand by us and the work we have done and must continue to do.
Prior to learning of the investigation, we began seeking out an audit of our organization as a matter of best practices. That audit is now actively in progress; we have an entirely new board of directors; and, most importantly, we have at least 10,000 students counting on our programs and service over the next nine months – all of which are already fully funded. This year, with a total budget of $227,971, those dollars and our hours of service will be spent through our domestic violence prevention, courthouse field trips, “Adulting 101” guides, behavior enhancement programs and middle school character development activities.
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 – initiatives our team members personally lead in the field that result in students at all grade levels sharing with us how Project REAL may have saved their lives.
Kovach is not Project Real. Project REAL is the 18,000 students we served in the 2023-2024 school year. Project REAL is the 2,260 students who participated in our relationship violence prevention program in the last year. Project REAL is the 100 percent of Nevada’s high school seniors who had access to our “Adulting 101” guide as they graduated in June. Project REAL is the countless judges, lawyers, business owners and community members who support us.
While the current situation may have made our work more challenging, it has not made it any less important. Our team knows who we are and the value of our mission. We are saving lives and improving futures.
We encourage the community to get involved, schedule our services and support us, as we continue to build a better Nevada. Existing donors and supporters are welcome to reach out to me directly with any questions."
In the summons, several employees who worked for Kovach at both nonprofits described to detectives a "frustrating" experience working with him.
One former employee, LaToya Holman, said the Foundation quickly became "abusive and toxic."
The documents state:
"She further explained she would go to Kovach to explain issues she had with other employees and Kovach wouldn’t do anything to support her. Holman would ask where some of the money was going and Kovach would get angry and mad with her asking about finances, balances and where the money was for specific events."
Kovach is scheduled to be in court for his initial appearance on October 28.
His attorney Dominic Gentile told Channel 13 there is no comment at this time.
