Gambling Addict: Country club embezzler headed to state prison

A law-abiding 40 year old man with 3 children and no previous criminal record.

Proximity increases Gambling Addiction.

The Business Model for the Slot Barn Industry depends on crating New Gamblers and New Gambling Addicts.

At what cost?

Country club embezzler headed to state prison

NORRISTOWN — A banquet manager's betrayal was like a "punch in the stomach" to his bosses at Sweet Water Country Club and now he's headed to prison for stealing more than $130,000 from the family-run business in Upper Hanover.

Anthony Sisonick III, 40, of Easton, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court on Thursday to one to two years in a state correctional facility after he pleaded guilty to a felony charge of theft by unlawful taking in connection with thefts that occurred between 2008 and 2010 while he was employed as the manager at the Geryville Pike club's banquet facility known as The Loft.

Judge Joseph A. Smyth also ordered Sisonick to complete five years' probation after he's paroled and to pay $132,646 in restitution to the club's owners, Robert and Joan Kolonia.

"We were devastated. It was just a punch in the stomach to find somebody who was very charismatic with the people and did his job well to have looked us straight in the eye and lied and betrayed us. It was really upsetting," said Joan Kolonia, who attended Sisonick's sentencing hearing.

Sisonick, who booked receptions and collected deposits and payments from clients, systematically deposited money given to him by customers, many of them bridal parties, into his personal accounts, according to authorities. Sisonick stole the money to feed a gambling addiction.

"It was pretty outrageous. He stole in a multitude of ways. He would pose as the owner. He would divert money to himself. He would try to get customers to make checks out to him rather than to the country club," alleged Assistant District Attorney Steven Bunn, who sought a prison sentence against Sisonick.

Bunn alleged Sisonick tried to cover up his thefts by applying payments to events incorrectly, which even led to the "double-booking" of some events, causing distress for the club's owners and customers.

"He was just wrecking people's lives all over the place. He was a pretty desperate person in order to feed his gambling problem. This is a defendant who cannot get hold of his demons. This is a defendant so desperate he will go to any lengths to get money," said Bunn, who called the conduct "a great breach of trust."

Kolonia testified Sisonick's betrayal placed a great financial burden on family members, who had to borrow from their personal savings in order to save the business and to fulfill all customer bookings. Kolonia proudly said her family pulled together to save the business and take care of customers.

"We were able to take some of our own monies, as well as our personal savings, to cover the expenses of the events that he had taken all the money from," Kolonia explained, referring to the 42 clients affected by Sisonick's betrayal. "We convinced them that their wedding or their party would go off without a hitch and that we would make sure that it was the special day that they planned for."

"It's been a lot of hard work and a lot of disappointment and upset but we've been able to pull through. We're a family-owned and operated business so we've all pulled together and assured everybody that we are still in business and we will continue to be so. Come and see us," Kolonia added.

An investigation of Sisonick began after club owners uncovered discrepancies in financial records and missing payments and conducted an audit, according to the criminal complaint filed by state police Trooper Daniel Jones, of the Skippack barracks, who investigated the matter.

Sisonick, a married father of three, apologized before learning is fate.

"I'm sorry to all the victims and family involved. I wish this never happened," Sisonick said.

Defense lawyer Patricia Cassidy attempted to keep Sisonick out of state prison by arguing for a county jail sentence. Cassidy added Sisonick has no resources to repay the money because he gambled it away.

"He has no money. He has nothing to show for this," said Cassidy, adding Sisonick has sought treatment through Gambler's Anonymous. "I believe Mr. Sisonick is truly sorry for the aggravation and disruption to the lives of everyone he hurt. He knows he did wrong."

Sisonick was so greedy, Bunn alleged, he even filed for unemployment compensation after he was fired because of the thefts, another insult to the club owners.

"It's like pouring salt into the open wound that he inflicted on them," Bunn said.