Female golf pro accuses Bethpage partner of stealing $300k – and trying to frame autistic teen

The golf instructor at the courses at Bethpage State Park in New York is accusing her former business partner of embezzling over $300,000 – and then trying to frame others for his actions.

Kelley Brooke, an instructor who was named the LPGA’s Professional of the Year in 2018, has filed a lawsuit that the firm’s former vice president, Paul O’Donoghue, stole money over the course of his six years managing the pro shop at Bethpage on Long Island. 

According to the suit, O’Donoghue stole cash receipts before they were ever deposited into Bethpage Golf’s bank account ‘on more than two thousand occasions over six years.’

O’Donoghue allegedly issued over 1,000 cash refunds for golf cart rental customers, despite the course having a strict policy against cash refunds.

The suit claims that he covered up his actions by creating fake debits in the course’s point-of-sale system under the names of other employees – including a teenager with autism which worked a range ball picker machine.

O’Donoghue allegedly stole 17 payments that he recorded as being made by that employee in question – even though the kid did not have access to the system or its registers, per the suit.

The suit also claims that he took 18 cash payments in 2022 and 2023 which were ‘made’ by an employee that had died the year prior. Others ‘involved’ included someone who had left their job in 2020 and an out-of-state bookkeeper that had never visited the course.

‘As a result of O’Donoghue’s fraudulent schemes, involving the theft of more than three hundred thousand dollars in cash from Bethpage Golf through his recording of false entries in the POS system on more than two thousand occasions, Bethpage Golf sustained damages for which it seeks assorted relief,’ the suit said.

Bethpage Golf Group – of which Brooke is president – has run the pro shop at the facility as well as the driving range, golf cart rentals, and private instruction bookings since January of 2018.

According to the suit, Brooke and O’Donoghue split duties – with Brooke overseeing the operations on a broader scale and O’Donoghue managing the pro shop on a day-to-day basis. 

The suit says that O’Donoghue was the ‘sole person in possession of the pro shop’s daily cash receipts’ – allowing him to run his schemes without anyone noticing.

That was, until, Brooke looked back on the books and discovered ‘abnormalities’ with multiple parts of the finances – which only appeared to happen when O’Donoghue was working. 

O’Donoghue was once confronted about stealing more than $3,000 from the caddies. When asked about it, he said that he did take it and that he’d return it – which he never did. 

Brooke (L) claims that Paul O’Donoghue covered up his tracks by logging debits under the names of various employees – including an autistic teen that worked at the driving range

Bethpage State Park’s famous ‘Black’ course will host the Ryder Cup in 2025

O’Donoghue is also alleged to have taken $3,000 from the Bethpage Golf safe that was not returned after being confronted about it. He also allegedly stole other smaller amounts of cash and forged Brooke’s signature numerous times – including on a check for $4,000.

The suit says that Brooke fired him in July. 

This is the latest in a prolonged back-and-forth between the two parties which kicked off when O’Donoghue sued Brooke and claimed that he owns half the business. Brooke claims he only owns 30 percent.

Brooke claims that she put $2.3million into Bethpage Golf and that’s why she owns more of the company. O’Donoghue refutes those claims. 

Bethpage State Park Golf Course is one of the most storied and well-renowned public golf facilities in the United States – boasting five courses including the famous ‘Black’ course.

Bethpage Black has hosted the US Open in 2002 and 2009 as well as the 2019 PGA Championship.

Next year, the Black course is set to host the 2025 Ryder Cup.