Former treasurer of Iowa City Pride pleads to theft of funds

IOWA CITY — A former interim treasurer of Iowa City Pride pleaded Monday to stealing more than $35,000 by using the organization’s debit card for personal bills, travel, restaurants and making cash withdrawals in 2021.

Anthony Sivanthaphanith, 37, of Iowa City, charged with first-degree theft, made a written plea to second-degree theft and will be ordered to pay $35,732 in restitution to Iowa City Pride.

Sivanthaphanith, a former president who became interim treasurer in May 2021 after another member left the position, was issued a debit card linked to the organization’s account, according court documents. It was standard practice that the president and treasurer were issued cards and any purchases needed approval by the board.

He also ordered checks in his own name using the Iowa City Pride account number, which wasn’t authorized by the board.

In the fall 2021, members of the organization were notified a payment to a vendor had bounced, which prompted an internal review. The audit showed many unauthorized transactions from May through November 2021, totaling $35,732.

According to a criminal complaint, Sivanthaphanith used the LGBTQ group’s funds at restaurants, retailers, hotels and at gas stations, for travel and other personal bills and for cash withdrawals. Many of the purchases were made outside of Iowa City or Iowa — Minneapolis, Columbus, Ohio; Kansas City and St. Louis, Mo.; Knoxville and Nashville, Tenn.; and Cedar Rapids.

Sivanthaphanith’s social media and email “document his pattern of behavior and he made admissions to his involvement and spending money without permission,” the complaint stated.

According to a search warrant affidavit, Iowa City Pride members connected many of Sivanthaphanith’s social media posts to visits he made to those locations at the time the purchases were made.

During the investigation, Sivanthaphanith’s cellphone was searched Jan. 24, 2022, and he was also interviewed by investigators. He admitted to making the purchases and he estimated spending around $8,000.

The order of restitution was filed in March by Johnson County Attorney Rachel Zimmermann Smith for $35,732 and is part of the plea agreement. Sivanthaphanith paid $20,000 of the restitution when he made his written plea Monday, Zimmermann Smith said.

A date for his sentencing has not been set.

Sivanthaphanith served as president of Iowa City Pride from fall 2019 to December 2021. Before that, he was on the organization’s board for eight years.

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