Former Nonprofit Director Pleads Guilty to Theft of More Than $200K

(TOLEDO, Ohio) - The former director of a Toledo-area nonprofit has pleaded guilty to stealing more than $207,000 from the organization and its donors, including elderly Ohioans, Attorney General Dave Yost announced today.

"The defendant exploited the goodwill of donors who believed in the organization's mission," Yost said. "Such a shameful betrayal of the community's trust demands accountability."

Thomas Ostrosky, 52, pleaded guilty Wednesday to felony charges of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, theft from a person in a protected class, solicitation fraud and telecommunications fraud. He was indicted in April and arrested in Dade City, Florida, following an investigation by Yost's Charitable Law Section.

The charges stemmed from Ostrosky's management of the Lazarus Experience, a nonprofit he founded in 2017. The organization, no longer in operation, was described as a Christian ministry providing re-entry services to incarcerated men in northwest Ohio.

Ostrosky's sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 2 in Lucas County Common Pleas Court. The Lucas County Prosecutor's Office appointed Yost's Charitable Law Section to prosecute the case.

Ohioans who suspect misuse of charitable funds or fraudulent fundraising activities should contact the Ohio Attorney General's Office at 800-282-0515 or charitable.ohioago.gov.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Dominic Binkley: 614-728-4127