Our good friend "The Power" Andy Knowles from 99 Hits FM in Potsdam, New York of the "Pro Wrestling Rewind" passed on the following article:

Councilor facing forgery charge as a result of a WWE House Show

Originally printed by James Donnelly and David Winters, Watertown Daily Times

September 14th

A city councilor who is in charge or operations at the Ogdensburg, NY City School District's Edgar A Newell Golden Dome remained on the job Thursday after being charged by New York State Police with forging a receipt for $8000 in Ogdensburg Free Academy Student Council funds. Kresten F. "Chris" Erickson, 57, was arraigned late Thursday morning in City Court on a single felony count of second-degree forgery. He declined comment after appearing before Judge George E. Silver without legal representation. The judge ordered his release under probation supervision and scheduled another appearance for Tuesday. The charge against Mr. Erickson is a result of a nine-month-long state police investigation into possible fraud involving the use of money in the student council's extra classroom activities fund, which is used to fund activities at the dome. The investigation was prompted by an audit of the fund. It's findings have not yet been released by the district.

The audit was in response to complaints from World Wrestling Entertainment that, based on receipts from the January 2006 performance, it received about $15,000 less than it should have after the July performance, according to Alexander Lesyk, chief assistant district attorney. "I have not seen the audit," Mr. Lesyk said.

Dome director since 1985, Mr. Ericksen became student council adviser in 2003. Since then, the council has sponsored six events, including shows by WWE in January and July 2006. He is accused of forging the name of Joe Pelkofski on a receipt for $8,000 in advance money used to reimburse performers and crew members for travel and other expenses related to the June show. Mr. Pelkofski, Ashburn, VA. is live event maketing representative for WWE.

"At no time did I give anyone permission to sign my name," Mr. Pelkofski said in a Feb.9 letter to state police Bureau of Criminal Investigation agent James P. DiSalvo, Canton NY. The letter, along with a signed statement in which Mr. Ericksen allegedly admitted the forgery, was filed with City Court.

According to Mr. Ericksen's statement, the forgery took place in the fall of 2006 after repeated requests from Kathy, the treasurer of the activities fund, for a receipt. She issued the $8,000 check in June. Mr. Erickson said he cashed it a Community Bank branch in Ogdensburg and gave the money to Mr. Pelkofski.

"Some time later that day Joe Pelkofski returned the balance of the $8,000 to me, approximately $4,000 in cash," Mr. Ericksen told investigators.

"No receipts were written because we were both very busy during both transactions," Mr. Ericksen said.

"In order to satisy Kathy's request fo a receipt, I created a handwritten receipt on a yellow legal paper," Mr. Ericksen told Mr. DiSalvo during a March 1st interview, according to the statement.

He said he put the money in a box in his file cabinet and turned it over to Superintendent of Schools Maurice H. Barry, in October, about four months after the event.

"The money was part of a sum which included a check from Kinney's (a local drug store chain which distributed tickets for the event), merchandise revenue and cash from ticket sales relative to the July 2006 WWE Event", Mr. Ericksen said in the statement.

Mr. Pelkofski said he returned $4,500 of the advance money to Mr. Ericksen and had no recollection of signing a receipt. Requiring $8,000 in cash to reimburse workers is "standard practice," he told investigators.

Although Mr. Ericksen was not charged Thursday with stealing money, that remains a possibility, according to St. Lawrence County District Attorney Nicole M. Duve.

"Is the money missing? That is a matter of interpretation," Ms. Duve said. "At this time I don't have evidence to support theft charges. The evidence at this point is just not sufficient to support that charge, but it remains under investigation. I am not willing to foreclose theft charges down the road."

WWE officials applauded the efforts of law enforcement and the district attorney's office for their investigation and hope to continue staging shows here (in upstate New York) in the future.

"WWE has a long-standing relationsip with Ogdensburg Free Academy and its students dating back to 1984," WWE spokesman Gary Davis said in an e-mailed statement. "We value this relationship and look forward to assisting the school in the future by performing for local audiences."

Mr. Barry said he was informed of the charges by state police late Thursday morning.

"There will be action on the part of the district, but it's too premature right now," Mr. Barry said Mr. Ericksen hasn't been suspended or fired from his dome director's position, he said. He resigned as student council adviser Jan. 9.

A city councilman since 1988, Mr. Erickson decided not to seek re-election after missing election filing deadlines. He had not submitted a letter resignation as of Thursday. City Manager Arthur J. Sciorra, Mayor William D. Nelson and Councilman Michael D. Morley declined comment.