The former director of the Las Vegas police foundation has pleaded not guilty to 19 counts of theft

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The former executive director of the Las Vegas Metro Police Department Foundation pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges that he funneled donations to another nonprofit and took hundreds of thousands of dollars for himself.

Thomas Kovach Jr. faces 19 counts of theft, 8 News Now Investigators first reported. All charges are felonies and range from $3,500 to $100,000.

Kovacs made his first court appearance on Thursday after being indicted by a grand jury. The court scheduled a hearing for May next year. Kovacha’s lawyer expected that the trial would last 2-3 weeks.

Kovacs allegedly “abused his position as executive director” to transfer nearly $350,000 — through 19 different payments — to another organization, Project Real. On its website, Project Real said the nonprofit organization “(guides) students in understanding their constitutional rights, the intricacies of the laws that shape daily life, and the value of a life of civic engagement.”

According to documents obtained by the 8 News Now Investigators, Metro Police began investigating in October 2023 after two current LVMPD Foundation employees — executive director Karen Marben and a board member — “discovered questionable activity and spending” while reviewing Kovacs’ stay at position

Metro detectives suspect Kovacs took more than $182,000 of the nearly $350,000 transferred to Project Real, according to the documents. From 2018 to 2022, Kovacs received $600,000 from Project Real, and the nonprofit itself received about $1 million during the same period.

In August, police searched Kovacs Henderson’s home, seizing electronics and other items.

8 News Now Investigator David Charns can be reached at [email protected].

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