NEEDHAM, Mass. — The chairman of the Needham Parks and Recreation Commission has been indicted by a federal grand jury on fraud and tax charges after investigators say he stole more than $200,000 from a local Little League organization, allegedly using the money to pay his debts and gamble at casinos.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office of Massachusetts, 50-year-old Christopher Gerstel is charged in a 17-count indictment with 12 counts of wire fraud, two counts of filing false tax returns, and three counts of failure to file tax returns.
Federal prosecutors say Gerstel served as the Vice President of Baseball Operations for Needham Baseball and Softball from 2019 to 2025, a period during which he allegedly faced personal financial difficulties, including thousands of dollars in outstanding credit card debt.
The indictment alleges that Gerstel transferred $250,000 in funds from the NBS umpire payment system into his personal account through more than 200 separate wire transfers between June 2019 and October 2024.
“Gerstel allegedly used the majority of the stolen NBS funds to pay down thousands of dollars in credit card debt, make car payments, and other personal expenditures, including at country clubs and cash withdrawals at casinos,” the US Attorney’s wrote in a news release.
According to screenshots included in the indictment, Gerstel transferred money to Capital One and Needham Bank accounts and withdrew cash at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut.
The indictment revealed that the alleged theft wasn’t uncovered until April 2025, when a new treasurer was appointed to the NBS Board of Directors.
“Once the treasurer gained access to the umpire payment system, they discovered over $250,000 in transfers had allegedly been made from that system to Gerstel’s personal bank account,” investigators stated.
It’s further alleged that Gerstel failed to report the funds he stole from the NBS on his tax returns and that, in 2020, 2021, and 2023, he failed to file tax returns.
Needham Town Manager Katie King addressed Gerstel’s arrest in a lengthy statement shared with Boston 25 News:
“The Town of Needham has been made aware of the arrest of Needham resident Chris Gerstel, who is currently serving as the Chair of the Needham Park and Recreation Commission. While this matter involves allegations related to a private organization and remains subject to the legal process, we understand that residents may have questions and concerns. At this time, the Town has no indication that any Town funds, accounts, or financial resources were involved in the alleged conduct described in the indictment. The allegations pertain solely to the individual’s activities outside of their role with the Town. The Town takes stewardship of public funds very seriously and maintains established financial controls and oversight procedures to safeguard taxpayer resources. We will continue to monitor the situation and take any actions that may be appropriate based on the facts as they become available.”
Gerstel was arrested Friday morning and is expected to appear in federal court in Boston at 1 p.m.
Read the full indictment:
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