Diablo Valley youth football treasurer arrested for embezzling more than $200,000

SAN RAMON, Calif. (KTVU) - A San Ramon man who served as treasurer of the Diablo Valley Youth Football Conference for the past eight years was arrested Wednesday for embezzlement.

64-year-old Lynwood Burruss Peyton was arrested in the parking lot of his former apartment complex, according to Lt. Denton Carlson with San Ramon police. Carlson said Peyton had recently been evicted from the apartments.

Two executive board members of the league contacted authorities more than a year ago. A forensic account was called in to help investigate.

“There were several instances where there were direct transfers from the youth football conference’s checking account directly into Mr. Peyton’s checking account,” Carlson said.

Peyton is accused of embezzling over $204,000 from the youth football conference when he served as a volunteer treasurer from 2010 to 2014.

During that time police said Peyton spent thousands of dollars using the league’s debit card and he allegedly falsified records to cover his tracks. Police said Peyton lied about how much money was needed to cover insurance costs, when in reality the amount was much lower.

Police said Peyton spent thousands of dollars during that time at grocery stores, home improvement and furnishing stores, and used it to pay for personal insurance, cable bills and airline flights.

“He was using so much of this money he was causing overdraft fees to the youth football conference’s checking account and those overdraft fees over a five year period totaled $4,000 in fees,” Carlson said.
The youth football conference was massive. It covered 18 cities in the East Bay across three counties and served children 8 to 14 years old. The league no longer exists.

Peyton is being held at the Martinez Detention facility. His bail is set at $50,000.