Belhaven mayor accused of making unauthorized purchases on nonprofit’s card

BELHAVEN, N.C. (WITN) - Some board members of a Belhaven Afterschool Program are accusing a former member of improperly using the nonprofit’s funds, and this isn’t just any board member – it’s the mayor.

The WITN First Alert Investigates Team learned more about the accusations and what investigators and residents are saying.

The Belhaven Community Afterschool Center is an important resource for the children it serves.

“They run inside and they hug us,” said board member Tiffany Stokes. “They’re just so happy to be here.”

Like any nonprofit, money can be tight.

That’s one reason why board members Tiffany and William Stokes say they were disturbed when they say they discovered that another member used the nonprofit’s credit card to pay for thousands of dollars in personal expenses.

“The board found a tremendous amount of Speedway charges that had not been authorized, and that kind of put up a red flag,” said William Stokes.

The card used, they say, was assigned to now-former board member and Belhaven Mayor Ricky Credle. The Stokes say charges from Speedway alone totaled around $1,500.

“A person who works here also works at Speedway, and when we were looking at the dates, they said I remember he came in here, he was purchasing cigarettes, coffee, and gas, and even getting cash back.”

The Stokes say some board members confronted Credle about the charges, and they say he acknowledged the charges and paid the nonprofit back.

“The excuse was that it was a mistake, it was a mistake that was made because of the personal card he has with the same bank. He got them mixed up,” Tiffany Stokes. “And even with that, okay, maybe one or two charges. But 24 plus?”

But that was just the beginning of what they would uncover.

Board members looked further into the transactions and found far more charges, totaling around $3,500, including some from the Secretary of State and for a laptop for a Belhaven church.

Tiffany Stokes says the church reimbursed Credle, but the nonprofit was not repaid.

“You’ll not only taking from the children, you’re taking from the church,” Tiffany said.

“’When did your conscience kick in?’ is the main question,” Tiffany said. “Because you knew that the purpose was for the kids.”

She says the nonprofit was even short paying an employee because of the alleged misuse and added that she feels the mayor should step down.

The WITN First Alert Investigates Team tried to reach Mayor Credle for comment.

We called and left a voicemail, sent him an email and stopped by city hall.

The mayor wasn’t there, but we were given a phone number to reach him, which no one answered and did not have a way to leave a message.

The center says Credle resigned from the board. An emergency meeting was held by the center’s board on November 5th where they voted to unanimously accept the resignation.

The allegations are raising concerns in the community.

“The pompousness. The audacity,” said Belhaven resident April Holloway. “These are the things that make or break our community.”

The center says it reported the purchases to the police.

Belhaven Police Chief Wesley Waters confirmed there is an open investigation involving the afterschool center but would not confirm that it involves the mayor.

No charges have been filed against Credle.

As that investigation continues, the Stokes say their main focus is accountability and keeping the center open.

“I just hope for justice. Justice for the kids, you know. It’s disheartening to know that they are the ones that suffer the most,” said William Stokes.

They say they are putting more safeguards in place and increasing oversight moving forward.

“We don’t want people who may have donated or may have given that they were taken or taken advantage of by the center,” said Tiffany. “It’s not by the center.”

The Stokes say they want people to know that the center itself is not under investigation.

They say they’re the ones who discovered the issue, reported it and are cooperating fully.

They also ask anyone who has donated to them through the town to contact them.