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Apology Follows Arrest In Car Dealer Thefts

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By VALERIE KALFRIN, The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 15, 2007

TAMPA - Walking handcuffed between two police officers, all Andrew J. Casale could say Friday was, 'I'm sorry.'

For five years, Vivian Reeves of Reeves Import Motor Cars had trusted Casale, her chief financial officer, as if he were a relative, Tampa police said. Then an independent audit of the dealership's records found a number of suspicious transactions and thousands of dollars missing, police said.

In all, Casale wrote 106 checks from the dealership worth a total of more than a half-million dollars, Tampa police Sgt. Paul Mumford said.

'We believe there's much more, but finding it is another thing,' Mumford said.

Casale, 38, told investigators he used the stolen money to feed a gambling problem. Police charged him Friday with felony organized fraud, racketeering, six counts of grand theft of more than $20,000 and 100 counts of third-degree grand theft.

He was held without bail at Orient Road Jail on Friday afternoon.

Casale, who lives in Tampa, had earned a six-figure salary at the dealership at 11333 N. Florida Ave. that specializes in Audis, Porsches, Maseratis, Hummers and other high-end vehicles, police said.

Reeves fired him in July after learning the results of the audit, then contacted police.

'She considered him a family member, and he took her for a lot of money,' Mumford said. 'Even though you trust somebody ... not everybody's as honest as they seem to be.'

A dealership employee said no one would comment on the arrest.

An attempt to reach Reeves by phone was unsuccessful.
Casale has no criminal record in this state, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

He joined the business in April 2002. Detective Lela Davis said the embezzlement began that month and continued until Reeves fired him.
Casale would write checks for petty cash - mostly for $1,000 or more - and pocket the money, Davis said. He also would add on to bonus checks for employees; for example, he would add $2,000 to a $40,000 bonus check and keep the extra, Davis said.

Davis did not know the extent of Casale's debts. He told investigators he had bet mostly on football online and placed bets through a bookie several times a month, she said.

'He says he can't control it,' Davis said.

Reeves became suspicious after Casale refused to let her hire an additional employee to help him in his work, police said. While he was out of town, she hired an outside firm to conduct a forensic audit in which it was determined 'there were some improprieties by Mr. Casale,' Mumford said. Reeves fired him upon his return.
Casale is married and has two children. Davis said Casale's wife 'knew that he was gambling but not to the degree that he was.'

A phone call to his home was not returned Friday.
Casale told police he could pay the money back over time, but Davis said if he is convicted of the charges that would be unlikely.

'He was very remorseful, especially for Mrs. Reeves,' Mumford said. 'He's very disappointed in himself for letting her down.'

News Channel 8 reporter Samara Sodos contributed to this report. Reporter Valerie Kalfrin can be reached at (813) 259-7800 or vkalfrin@tampatrib.com.

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