The former treasurer of the Madison Baseball Association received a suspended prison sentence on Thursday afternoon, in the Lake County Courthouse.
Michael Kane of Madison had previously entered a guilty plea on April 27th to a charge of Grand Theft by embezzlement, which is a Class 4 Felony.
Authorities say the issue came to light when the association’s assistant treasurer requested access to the organization’s QuickBooks account to send invoices. During a review of the financial records, the assistant treasurer discovered transfers to accounts that were not associated with the baseball organization. Those accounts were later identified as belonging to then-treasurer Mike Kane.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office subpoenaed Kane’s bank records, which were analyzed by a DCI financial auditor. According to the forensic audit, Kane diverted more than $55,000 between May 2023 and July 2025 while serving as treasurer.
During Thursday’s sentencing hearing, Lake County State’s Attorney Aaron McGowan said Kane didn’t just steal from the Association, but from the children of the Madison Community. McGowan said, “it was not an isolated incident, but an ongoing crime.” He called it a crime of greed and arrogance.
In a statement before sentencing, Kane said that he was deeply sorry, and that he damaged more than finances, but also relationships and trust.
Circuit Judge Kent Shelton sentenced Kane to 7 years in the state penitentiary, and suspended that time based on several conditions, including that Kane serve 180 days in jail, and pay restitution to the Baseball Association in the amount of $46,888.35
In a statement after the sentencing, the Madison Baseball Association said they are grateful to the Division of Criminal Investigation and the Lake County State’s Attorney for their work in investigating the matter.
Upon discovering the misconduct, the association says they immediately reported the matter to law enforcement and have fully cooperated with investigators throughout the process. The association says that all funds taken are being recovered, and the association remains financially stable.
The statement goes on to say that, “the actions of one individual do not reflect the values of our organization or the many volunteers who dedicate countless hours to serving local athletes and their families. While we are disappointed by this breach of trust, we remain focused on our mission of providing a positive baseball experience for the young people in our community.”
The association says it has reviewed and strengthened its financial oversight procedures to help safeguard association funds and ensure accountability moving forward.
