AND STILL ANOTHER VFD TREASURER has been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. In Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Vicki Ann Messier, 35, used to be the treasurer of the Rawlinsville Fire Company until an audit disclosed that most of the department’s money was gone and unaccounted for. This past Wednesday the State Police arrested and charged her with embezzling $168,884 from the department.
Vivki Ann Messier
(Rawlinsville Fire Company photo)
Most of the money was stolen between 2005 and 2009 when the officers first discovered that not only had their bills not been paid, but the checking account was depleted. The Lancaster Intelligencer Journal reports:
Fire company officials first learned there was a problem in July when they tried to buy equipment, food and fuel from local businesses but were told the fire company had past-due balances, fire company President Charles Grimasuckas said. The fire company did an internal investigation, then notified state police about the lost funds at the end of July.
Messier had presented fictitious financial reports to the volunteer fire company’s board at monthly meetings and kept false ledgers for years without being detected, Grimasuckas said.
Instead of sending out approved checks to vendors, Messier shelved them and made out checks to herself, police said.
WHP-TV image
The fire company’s insurance carrier will pay for the loss and they have also instituted new safeguards to better protect their accounts. About five active members have left the department out of disgust with what happened.
Read the full story in the Intelligencer Journal HERE.
WHP-TV Ch. 21 has this video report (includes views of RFC apparatus):
Also on FireGeezer…
- Pennsylvania Bowling Alley Goes Up – April 11, 2011
- Thieving Treasurer Sentenced – February 1, 2011
- More Missing Ambulance Funds – January 10, 2011
- Fire College Director Nabbed for Embezzling – January 14, 2011
Recent Comments