Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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y Volume LXIX, No. 59 University of South Carolina, Columbia, S.C. Sept. 11,1978 Em] Low pay mar ha jl By Tom Travis Oam acock Staff Writar Former Concessions Director for the USC athletic department, Ross Broom Jr., pleaded guilty Sept. 7 to embezzlement of more than $96,000 from concessions revenues. Broom was sentenced to three years in prison and his assistant, James Clark was sentenced to a one-year term. The conviction resulted from an extensive investigation by the State Law Enforcement Division. A source close to the investigation said Broom had filed a complaint with the athletic department in 1974. Former Assistant Athletic Director Ralph Floyd said Broom complained to him that he "was barely making enough money." Assistant Athletic Director John Moore said his department received no complaint from Broom concerning concessions or his income. SLED BEGAN an inquiry June 28 into the concession and souvenir operations at football games and spring sports events. This probe followed an audit of the USC athletic department in May. The audit was requested by Athletic Director Jim Carlen and Moore. Moore said the inquiry was prompted by outstanding bills which Broom owed to Cromer's Peanut Shop and the Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Columbia. Broom bought most of his concession supplies from these two firms. "Coach Carlen and I felt that an audit was the only thing we could do. We do things the right way, regardless of who is involved," said Moore. Broom had been in charge of concessions at Carolina sports events for 91 UQOt>C sjx J V/W i a. J.D. Cromer, owner and operator of Cromer's Peanut Shop, said the allegations against Broom came as a "total surprise" to him. He said he had dealt with Broom on a "straight business" basis while Broom was in charge of concessions at USC. Cromer said his firm had been paid the full amount owed by the athletic department since Broom's firing in June. BUDDY BROOM, marketing director for Coca-Cola, refused to comment on the issue. The SLED investigation covered the period from September. 1974 to November, 1977. During this time, it was discovered that Broom had embezzled $96,785.60 from concession and souvenir sales. Hugh E. Munn, SLED information director, said his department compared sales reports from concession stand operators with the figures turned in to the athletic department by Broom. Broom's sales figures had been grossly lowered, Munn said.The adjustments in sales figures were made by James Clark, who was Broom's top assistant, said Munn. Munn said all sales reports the athletic department received were in the same handwriting, later identified as Clark's. SLED reports indicated that Clark was in charge of bookkeeping and had altered figures under Broom's direction. According to Munn, the money was probably taken during post-game counting procedures. SLED also investigated football souvenir sales and discovered that these profits had been skimmed in much the same way. ACCORDING TO SLED and audit reports, Broom's books were $4,290 1AFI4 T? ~--l 4. 11 " ** suun in ivit. in suusequem years, uroom s laxe increased steadily, reaching a peak of $39,342.28 in 1977. In regard to spring sports, SLED found a report on sales for the 1976 NCAA baseball tournament held at USC. Regular season concession sales records for 1976 were never discovered, said Munn. Also, a fictitious rpnnrt wns fminH fnr th?? 1077 hoooKall aaaonn . ?rw. ?V? vaav *V. MWUVMWII UVMOVII. A/Ui lllg 11ICOC LVYU years Broom took $8,000 from baseball concessions. "I think the key to the investigation was two-pronged," said Munn. "There was a determined administration at USC to get to the bottom of the problem and a darned good agent on the case." Robert Stewart, the agent in charge of the SLED concessions probe, was not available for comment. MUNN ALSO praised the state and USC auditors for their assistance in the case, saying "we couldn't have done a thing without them." Broom was not committed to a written contract during his stay at Carolina. Athletic department officials said it was not uncommon for anyone to have a verbal contract Ross Broom, according to his verbal contract with USC received $1,500, or 30 percent of net sales per event, whichever was the lesser amount. Also, USC paid him 10 percent of gross sales from concessions at football games. This financial arrangement was initiated in 1974. according to SLED reports. James Clark received $15(' per event acting as Broom's top assistant ( "lark's fee was illegally increased to $1,500 per game during the actual embezzlement of funds, said Munn. Clark admitted to falsification of all sales reports and concession forms. Concessions at USC sports events are presently handled by ARASERVE, Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pa. bezzlemen ve led concessions he .\ ' ' * >* ' ife'" ?A?L \ ^ ?Nn*"n N / ' \ it V * ? . ' . ,, ix & : . - ". y / . '$* V' ' ... .K'VwM': s \ * V'v 1 : '^jattAfc^. t ad astray ' .. luftv S^^SSSk,'*i. >. V ... .