Jury Now Considering Tollefson Charges

A jury now has Don Tollefson’s fate in its hands. Final arguments in the former sportscaster’s trial were heard Tuesday, and the jury began deliberations that resume today.

“After five hours of deliberation, a jury could not decide the fate of Don Tollefson,” NBC 10 reports. Closing arguments finished Tuesday in the trial of the disgraced former Philadelphia sportscaster. By 9:30 p.m., a judge ordered the jury to go home after they were unable to come up with a verdict. They will return Wednesday morning.”

Tollefson is accused of taking $340,000 from more than 200 people who thought they were buying sports and travel packages. He served as his own attorney during the trial, and argued he was guilty of bad bookkeeping — but had no criminal intent.

Bucks County Assistant District Attorney Matt Weintraub disagreed. “It’s a classic Ponzi scheme,” he told the jury, according to 6ABC. “He’s taking from the people that paid him already, and booking trips for people that are ready to go. And the thing’s bound to collapse and that’s exactly what happened.”

Philly Mag profiled Tollefson and his troubles in-depth last summer.