Tranchina Not Aware of Subpoena in Sports Gear Scam

School district Athletic Director Ed Tranchina said no subpoena has been issued to his office and to the best of his knowledge on the school district in regards to an ongoing FBI investigation into Circle Systems, a sports gear company alleged to have defrauded public school athletic departments.

Tranchina said the school district, which has used Circle Systems for many years for sports gear conditioning needs, has not received inquiries from the FBI on the case. He said he would likely have been contacted by the school district business administrator, Bob Berman, if a subpoena had been served on Berman's office.

"We have not been subpoenaed," Tranchina said.

The Record reported earlier this week that federal prosecutors issued subpoenas to 12 districts last week in relation to its investigation into Circle System and its former president David Drill. Drill pleaded guilty last December in federal court in Newark, admitting that his company participated in fraudulent business practices including, among other things, overcharging schools for services.

According to the press release at that time from the U.S. Attorney's office: "Drill admitted that the scheme involved inflated invoices, the creation of phony bid documents from competitors and the retention of over payments by schools. Drill also said that he engaged in aspects of the fraud often with the knowing participation of school officials, including athletic directors, school administrators, purchasing officials and coaches with whom he and his sales force had fostered and maintained relationships over many years."

Millburn, Cliffside Park and Lyndhurst school districts are among the others in New Jersey who were also issued subpoenas. In Millburn, school officials fought earlier this year to have football helmets returned after learning of the company's wrongdoings. Schutt Sports (which bought Circle Systems) initially refused to do so until an invoice was paid, but the company eventually returned the equipment in May.

Tranchina said that Circle has been the contractor for the district for sporting goods and athletic equipment conditioning work over many years. He said that while the district has had a good relationship with Circle, the district will be seeking other contractors for the services. Tranchina declined to get into specfics regarding the change in plans, saying that he and other school district officials have been meeting to discuss the changes.

Editor's Note: Scotch Plains-Fanwood Patch Editor Lindsay Wilkes-Edrington contributed to this report.