Kinley Lee and his wife left the United States in June 2024, authorities say.
CINCINNATI, OH — Hamilton County prosecutors say Kinley Lee, a former golf professional who later worked as controller at Coldstream Country Club in Anderson Township, is accused of stealing $883,000 from the private club and remains in Mexico as officials move to bring him back to Ohio.
Prosecutors and sheriff’s investigators say they have launched the paperwork to extradite Lee after a yearlong inquiry into alleged embezzlement at the country club east of Cincinnati. Authorities say Lee and his wife, Katherine, left the U.S. in June 2024 and are believed to be living at a property owned by her father in Mexico. The case has drawn fresh attention this week as county officials described the status of the cross-border process and reiterated that the criminal probe remains open. If returned to Ohio, Lee could face prison time, fines and court-ordered restitution.
Investigators allege Lee used his access as controller to make unauthorized credit card purchases, forge checks and route payments through a bogus vendor account. A sworn affidavit outlines those methods and places the losses at $883,000. Hamilton County Assistant Prosecutor Andy Berghausen, who leads the office’s financial crimes unit, said his team is coordinating with the sheriff’s office and federal agencies on the extradition request. “We’re confident that things are moving forward and progressing to try to get all the necessary paperwork in place to bring him back,” Berghausen said. He declined to estimate when Mexican authorities might act, noting his office relies on federal partners for the next steps.
Coldstream Country Club previously filed a civil lawsuit against Lee and his wife and won a judgment valued at about $4 million under Ohio’s civil theft statute, which allows triple damages. Prosecutors emphasized the criminal case seeks only the amount alleged stolen. An FBI spokesperson declined to comment on any extradition efforts. The club’s former attorney has suggested gambling debts may have fueled the thefts; the prosecutor would not discuss possible motives. Current counsel for the club declined to comment. Officials say the couple’s exact location in Mexico remains unknown publicly, and it is unclear whether U.S. marshals or Mexican authorities have made contact with them.
The alleged thefts came to light after internal reviews at the Anderson Township club, a long-established course that hosts regional events and a large membership east of downtown Cincinnati. Records cited in the affidavit describe a pattern of forged checks and recurring charges inconsistent with club business. The timeline places the couple’s departure in June 2024, shortly after the financial discrepancies were escalated to law enforcement. Since then, Hamilton County investigators have gathered bank and vendor records and interviewed club staff, according to officials familiar with the case. Prosecutors say their filings detail the alleged losses and the means used to conceal them over time.
Authorities say Ohio’s six-year statute of limitations for the charges can be tolled when a suspect flees, preserving the ability to prosecute if Lee is returned. If convicted, the potential sentence could range from two to eight years in prison, a fine up to $15,000 and mandatory restitution. Extraditions can take months or years, prosecutors noted, pointing to a recent Hamilton County case in which a defendant charged in a separate financial matter was returned from overseas roughly five years after being indicted and later acquitted at a bench trial. Officials said that history underscores both the length and complexity of international returns.
Neighbors near the meticulously kept Coldstream fairways said they had seen increased police presence around the club after the allegations surfaced, though day-to-day operations continued. Members arriving for winter rounds this week described the situation as frustrating but said they were encouraged by news that extradition paperwork is moving. Prosecutors said they have kept club leadership informed. “Our focus is on building a clean, provable case,” Berghausen said, adding that investigators would continue gathering financial records until an arrest is made and the case is presented in court.
As of Wednesday, no arrest has been announced in Mexico and no court dates have been set in Hamilton County. Prosecutors said the next public milestone will likely be the filing or execution of a formal extradition request through federal channels. Officials said they will provide an update if Mexican authorities detain Lee or if a U.S. court sets an initial appearance date in Cincinnati.
Author note: Last updated December 31, 2025.