Former 1 Voice President Under Investigation For Possible Mishandling Of Funds

By Mike Perleberg John Bitzer. Photo by Hamilton County Sheriff's Office. (Lawrenceburg, Ind.) - A man who was the face of a non-profit dedicated to combating addiction in southeast Indiana is under investigation. John R. Bitzer II, 39, was the president of 1 Voice Inc. until he was arrested in Hamilton County, Ohio on November 6 for a charge of Falsification. He pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor and had to serve seven days in jail. But Bitzer could soon face new, more serious charges, this time in Dearborn County. A subpoena filed Friday shows Lawrenceburg Police are investigating Bitzer for improperly depositing grant checks written to 1 Voice from the City of Lawrenceburg. There are also questions about Bitzer’s handling of funds that were donated through the website GoFundMe. The subpoena seeks bank records of 1 Voice, Bitzer, and organization founders Wyatt and Amanda Sampson. The couple had contacted police on November 17 after reviewing 1 Voice’s financial records. No charges have been filed in Dearborn County as of Thursday. However, Bitzer is no longer president of the organization. The Sampsons, who founded 1 Voice approximately two years ago, say they are working diligently to account for all of the organization’s monies. They assert that they are cooperating with the police investigation. “One man can’t bring down this organization. We know we still have a lot of support in the community,” Wyatt Sampson told Eagle Country 99.3 on Tuesday, adding that 1 Voice is continuing to become stronger and better. Sampson said 1 Voice uses the funds it raises to help people attend and afford addiction and recovery services. The group is a 100 percent volunteer effort, he said. Bitzer does have past arrests in Indiana for Forgery, Fraud, Theft, Receiving Stolen Property, and Possession of Paraphernalia. Bitzer’s arrest in Ohio and the current Indiana investigation are poorly timed. He was awarded one of the Dearborn Community Foundation’s Heart of Gold awards on November 10, but was unable to attend the ceremony because he was jailed in Hamilton County.