Former Phoenixville Country Club Manager Jailed For $147K Theft

PHOENIXVILLE —A former manager of the Phoenixville Country Club man was sentenced Wednesday to one to 23 months in Chester County Prison for stealing $147,000 from the club for personal expenses, including airline tickets, hotels, pyrotechnics and home improvements and more.

Anthony Lucas, 58, of Newark, Del., was also ordered by Chester County Judge Allison Bell Royer to serve three years of probation following the prison term.

Lucas was ordered to pay $147,207 in restitution to the Phoenixville Country Club, 355 Country Club Road.

Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan thanks the Schuylkill Township police for the work on the case.

“Anthony Lucas masterminded a scheme to steal almost $150,000 from his employer,” Ryan said in a prepared statement. “This was a total breach of trust, and now he and his co-defendants will be held accountable by the criminal justice system.

“Phoenixville Country Club wasn’t the only victim – the defendant’s greed and criminal behavior also impacted its members and their families.”

Co-defendants, Grace Crosson, 52, and Amy Clark, 38, pleaded guilty in December 2021, and are scheduled for sentencing in August.

The case

According to prosecutors:

Lucas conspired with his co-defendants to steal money between January 2017 and May 2018.

The three cashed either unauthorized checks or checks for amounts greater than authorized and split the proceeds.

A portion went back to Lucas and the co-defendants.

Schuylkill Township police became aware of the theft on May 3, 2018, after the country club officials reported suspicious bank transactions.

During the investigation, police learned that the defendant was one of two people authorized to sign checks, so he wrote and signed checks that his co-defendants either cashed or deposited for him.

Sgt. Brian McCarthy of Schuylkill Township police investigated. Deputy District Attorney Bill Judge prosecuted the case.