Deerfield man charged with stealing from disabled children's charity

The former executive director of a Northfield charity that assists disabled children is facing federal fraud charges after prosecutors said he stole more than $800,000 from the agency.

Stuart Nitzkin, 45, of Deerfield, is accused of using funds from Israel Sport Center for the Disabled to pay personal expenses and cover payments on his personal credit card, according to court documents. The charity is not named in the criminal complaint, but Nitzkin is listed as the organization's director from 2011 to 2016 in several online records.

Prosecutors allege Nitzkin also started his own company that supplies goods and services to a camp with no connection to the charity he led. He then is accused of charging expenses from that business to the charity "knowing that he was not entitled to use" the organization's funds to pay his business expenses.

Nitzkin is also accused of overpaying a catering company, operated by a "personal friend," with charity funds and misrepresenting how much the catering company had been paid.

Prosecutors said Nitzkin stole "at least $831,000" from the charity.

Adam Sheppard, Nitzkin's attorney, denied the charges.

"The underlying basis for the criminal charges in the case stem out of my client's duties as exec director of the charity, a cause to which he was deeply devoted," Sheppard said. "Grievances from his alleged mishandling of funds have been addressed in a civil matter, and amicably settled."

Nitzkin's next court date is slated for May 12.