Don Tollefson

Don Tollefson (born September 14, 1952) is an American television broadcast journalist, best known for his work as a sportscaster for the Philadelphia local ABC affiliate WPVI-TV from 1975 to 1990. He also worked for Philadelphia's local FOX affiliate, WTXF-TV. He worked briefly as a sideline reporter for the NFL on FOX and hosted a radio show on ESPN Radio 950 AM.

Early life

Donald H "Don" Tollefson was born in San Francisco in 1952. He was the younger of two sons. His parents were separated when he was young. He attended the Menlo School where he graduated magna cum laude.

Career

Tollefson attended Stanford University He was hired by the Associated Press as a young correspondent covering the Patty Hearst kidnapping and trial. He was named Sports Director in 1976.

Personal life

Marriages and Children Tollefson married his first wife, Monica Vasquez, in 1992. They were married for a short time.

On 08/29/2020 Tollefson and his fiancée; then Heidi Schaffer Fetter, respectively, exchanged vows and wed at the Historic Landis Store Hotel in Berks County, Pennsylvania.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Don Tollefson reside in Allentown, Pennsylvania as of 2020.

Tollefson once dated NBC Today Show reporter Jenna Wolfe

Troubles With Alcoholism and Addiction

In 2013, Tollefson confirmed to several news outlets that he was battling a decades-long alcohol abuse problem and an addiction to prescription pain killers after a 2008 automobile accident. In October 2013, he checked himself into an inpatient rehab facility.

Tollefson had begun drinking at the age of 16 and says he "got drunk every night" from then until age 61.

Fraud Trial

Initial Allegations In October 2013, allegations began to surface that Tollefson had been defrauding individuals and charities for payment for trips to large sporting events. He was accused of selling packages including tickets, travel and accommodations to events like the Super Bowl and then never delivering the packages or delivering incompletely. In most cases, these packages were sold under the guise of benefiting various charities for which Tollefson purported to be an advocate. Those charities did not receive the funds Tollefson was paid for the packages he never delivered.

Arrest

In February 2014, Tollefson was arrested and arraigned in Bucks County District Court. He was charged with unlawful activity, theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception, and violations of the Pennsylvania charitable organizations statute. Some of the details of the charges were as follows:

On October 8, 2013, Tollefson sold 18 Eagles game trip packages for $500 at a memorial run for Plymouth Township Police officer Brad Fox, who had been killed in the line of duty. Tollefson claimed that the money would be split between his own charities and the Brad Fox Foundation. The Fox Foundation never received any money In total, Tollefson was accused of stealing over $340,000 from more than 100 individual people.

On December 22, 2014, Tollefson held a press conference to announce that he no longer wished to represent himself and had been applying to be represented by a public defender. Those applications were denied.

Trial

Jury selection in Tollefson's trial began on January 5, 2015. Among Tollefson's claims of innocence was that he never aimed to defraud people, but was only a "bad businessman." He also claimed that none of the money he received was spent on himself or his family.

On January 21, 2015, Tollefson was found guilty on all counts. The jury deliberated for 10 hours over the course of two days. Prosecutors afterward said that they would be seeking "lengthy" prison time for Tollefson at sentencing He was ultimately sentenced to two to four years in state prison. Tollefson must also serve 15 years of probation.

Tollefson was released in late 2017 after serving 14 months of his sentence.