Pro Bowl ticket seller
called ‘model citizen’
A former Tickets Plus executive pleaded not guilty in Circuit Court yesterday to a theft charge alleging he took nearly half a million dollars in Pro Bowl ticket proceeds from the National Football League.
Manuel Sanchez declined comment after his arraignment, but his attorney, Michael Green, maintains that Sanchez never intended to deprive the NFL of any money and expects to have it repaid shortly.
"He takes responsibility for the fact the money was not repaid on time," Green said.
He said Sanchez was trying on his own to begin repayment before the charges were brought.
He also called Sanchez a "model citizen" who has donated money to charity and created jobs.
Deputy Prosecutor Randal Lee defended his office's decision to prosecute the case, saying the victim had nothing to do with their decision to pursue charges.
"The NFL is an important citizen, like all the citizens of Hawaii, and it will be protected by our office," Lee said.
Just because Sanchez may have done good in the community does not make him immune from prosecution, Lee said.
The NFL contracted with Sanchez and Tickets Plus in 2001 to sell Pro Bowl tickets, but he failed to turn over the proceeds and a $100,000 event sponsorship fee.
He made a $100,000 payment last August but has made no payments since.
The NFL sued Sanchez last November to try and get back $558,068 it believes it is owed. Despite a judgment that Sanchez agreed to, the NFL has not received any of the money, John Komeiji, the local attorney representing the NFL here, said last week.
Sanchez's efforts to pay back the NFL are "a little bit too late," Lee said, given that it was owed that money back in 2003 and not this year.
Ticket Plus Inc. was purchased in March last year by Ticketmaster, the worldwide ticketing agency, which kept Sanchez on as general manager for Hawaii operations.
Sanchez left Ticketmaster three months later.