LAKE WALES, Fla. – The Lake Wales Police Department has arrested two women following an investigation into missing funds from the Lake Wales Little League. The probe, which began nearly a year ago, culminated in charges against Stephanie Witt and Alicia Bird for allegedly using organization bank cards to bankroll personal lifestyles.
The investigation was launched on May 30, 2025, after board members of the Lake Wales Little League noticed irregularities in their financial records and reported suspected fraudulent activity to the police.
Detectives with the Lake Wales Police Department spent months combing through years of bank statements and transaction receipts to trace the flow of the league’s money.
According to police reports, Witt and Bird systematically used the league’s debit cards for personal goods and services. The thefts occurred over several years, beginning as early as late 2021.
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Records show that Witt’s unauthorized spending totaled $6,670.97 between November 22, 2021, and December 18, 2024. During a similar timeframe, Bird, who served as the league’s treasurer and was specifically tasked with overseeing the organization’s financial health, allegedly used the cards for her own benefit as well.
Detectives tied $2,598.79 in fraudulent charges to Bird between May 21, 2022, and February 10, 2025.
Both women were taken into custody and face formal charges of Grand Theft and Scheme to Defraud. They were processed at the Polk County Jail after the department’s forensic audit of the league’s accounts concluded.
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