Thomas Recck Embezzled $125K from Canine Rescue Group

Thomas Recck, 52, of Cincinnati, Ohio, bled a Connecticut nonprofit dry—stealing $125,649.77 meant for search-and-rescue dogs through years of calculated fraud. The former treasurer of Connecticut Canine Search and Rescue, Inc. (CCSAR) was sentenced in New Haven today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Alker Meyer to five years of probation, with the first six months served under home confinement. He must also complete 600 hours of community service.

From January 2008 to August 2012, Recck exploited his position as treasurer to siphon funds from CCSAR’s accounts into one he controlled. Based in Kensington, CCSAR is a volunteer-driven nonprofit dedicated to finding missing persons using trained canine teams—efforts now undermined by Recck’s betrayal. Instead of supporting rescue missions, Recck funneled the money into gambling and personal spending, gutting resources vital to a mission of public service.

Worse still, Recck didn’t just rob the organization—he lied to the government. He failed to report the stolen funds on his federal tax returns for five consecutive years, compounding his crime with deliberate deception. The IRS caught the inconsistency, triggering a deeper investigation into his financial misconduct.

On February 4, 2015, Recck pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of filing a false tax return. The charges stemmed from electronic transfers used to move the stolen money and his submission of falsified tax documents to federal authorities. His sentencing, delayed from the 2015 guilty plea, finally brings a measure of accountability to a crime that eroded public trust in nonprofit leadership.

As part of the court’s ruling, Recck must pay full restitution—$125,649.77—plus back taxes, penalties, and interest for the 2008 through 2012 tax years. The financial reckoning is steep, but the damage to CCSAR’s mission and reputation may never be fully repaired.

This investigation was led by the Connecticut Financial Crimes Task Force, the IRS Criminal Investigation Division, and the Greenwich Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito prosecuted the case, underscoring a federal crackdown on those who exploit charitable organizations for personal gain.