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More Dirty Dipping Treasurers Go Down

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They Get Caught, But The Money Is Always Gone

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A SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK woman, Virginia DeCaprio, 52, was in court yesterday (Monday) facing charges that she stole nearly $500,000 from the Charlton Fire District No. 1 while she served as treasurer and secretary from 2005 to 2010.  In an apparent plea deal, she admitted guilt to  second-degree grand larceny and fourth-degree criminal tax fraud, both felonies.  She is now facing a prison term of 3 to 9 years.

The Saratogian reports:

Prosecutors say she used fire district credit cards to purchase items, including 18 printers, 11 computers, digital cameras, a washer and dryer, iPods, a refrigerator and freezer, a 12-bottle wine cooler and a wishing well lawn ornament that was displayed in her front yard until shortly before her arrest.

She also wrote 374 checks to herself totaling more than $50,000 and 136 checks to her husband totaling more than $40,000 and paid herself $272,000 for hours she could not prove she had worked.

DeCapria’s brazen thefts were staggering considering the small size of the volunteer fire department which, in 2011, had 40 volunteer members and a $308,723 budget. The year before, in 2010, DeCapria paid herself $158,187 — more than half of the district’s entire tax levy for that year.

"DeCapria stole taxpayer funds, which were paid by residents of the fire district for fire protection, not for Mrs. DeCapria to buy iPods, laptops, plastic surgery, cigarettes and Schwann’s frozen food delivery for herself and her family," Saratoga County District Attorney James A. Murphy III said in a statement.

She is free on bail until she is sentenced on May 6.  Read the entire article in The Saratogian HERE.

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IN BUCKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, the former financial secretary of the Warrington Community Ambulance Service is in jail for want of bail after being charged with stealing more than $642,000 from the firm in a 4-year period.

Danette Lewchick, 56, was arraigned Monday on charges of theft, forgery, computer trespass and dealing in the proceeds of illegal activities. If convicted on all charges, she could face more than 40 years in prison. District Judge Jean Seaman set April 1 for Lewchick’s preliminary hearing.

PhillyBurbs.com continues:

She became the ambulance services’ financial secretary in 2008, three years after filing for bankruptcy to get out from under more than $400,000 in debt, including $40,000 owed to casinos in Atlantic City, according to court records. By April 2008, she had full control of bookkeeping records.

Her attorney, Jeffrey Solar, said his client has "a severe gambling addiction."

Police began their investigation into the ambulance services’ financial records last year. Warrington Ambulance is partially funded through public money, but also takes in donations and insurance payments for the cost of services.

Investigators started by reviewing the ambulance company’s Citizens Bank account. They said they found that during a two-week period in July 2012, Lewchick allegedly took cash, had checks written out to herself and made ATM withdrawals from the account for a total of $82,000, most of which had been transferred into her personal account. Additionally, two board members said their signatures, which were needed for authorization, on the checks had been forged, police said.

Police then checked in to other accounts and said they found checks written to "cash" or to Lewchick between 2008 and 2012 ranging in amounts of between $600 and $25,000. According to court records, cash withdrawals and ATM transactions were made by her on those accounts as well.

Investigators compared the actual bank statements with the records kept by Lewchick and found the records were altered to match forged banking records, according to court records. They also discovered that Lewchick was making fraudulent payroll entries that enabled her to receive pay beyond her entitled amount between 2008 and 2012, police said.

To further their investigation, police reviewed video surveillance of some of Lewchick’s ATM transactions. They said many of the withdrawals were made at Parx Casino in Bensalem, or at bank branches in Upper Southampton and Bensalem — between the casino and Lewchick’s home and job. Other transactions were completed in Quakertown, police said. Gift cards to Sands Casino, other items associated with Pennsylvania casinos and a one-way plane ticket to Las Vegas were found in Lewchick’s car, court records show. Detectives further reviewed state Gaming Control Board records and found that Lewchick had been frequenting Parx Casino since August 2010, but had also been gambling at the Sands Casino in Bethlehem.

 The story goes even deeper than that.  Read the full report in PhillyBurbs HERE.

Posted by on March 12, 2013 • Filed under: crime, Fire Rescue Topics, Funding & Staffing, News • Tagged: , , , ,

Bent Treasurer Update

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Tarnished Lawyer Pleads Guilty

THE FORMER TREASURER OF the Woodstock Fire Company No. 3 in Ulster County, New York, pleaded guilty Wednesday before the court of stealing more than $221,000 from the volunteer organization.

Firegeezer first covered this story in October when Dale D. Hughes, Jr., 64, was charged with the crimes that were listed in our STORY HERE.

The Mid-Hudson News reports this morning:

Dale Hughes, 64, entered a guilty plea to grand larceny in the second degree. Hughes is an attorney and onetime Woodstock Town Board member.

After a company check bounced in May 2011, Hughes borrowed $170,000 from family and put the money back into the company’s bank account, said District Attorney Holley Carnright.

"He also has agreed to pay the additional money that he stole, which is about $50,000 and to do that before the date of his sentencing. If he does that, it will be our recommendation that he not have to serve any additional time," Carnright said.

His sentencing is scheduled for March 13.

The Kingston Daily Freeman has MORE.

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Posted by on January 17, 2013 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, crime, EMS Topics • Tagged: , , ,

More Fiddling Treasurers

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This Time From Virginia

THE FORMER TREASURER OF THE MIDDLESEX Volunteer Rescue Squad in Urbanna, Virginia, was sentenced Wednesday to prison for stealing from the rescue squad's treasury.

Lewis Filling  (Daily Press / Sabo)

Lewis Filling was a long-serving town employee who in the past had been a Town Councilor, also serving a term as Mayor, and spent eight years as Town Administrator.  When he began serving as volunteer treasurer for the rescue squad in January 2005, he began stealing money from the squad just four months into his post and continued for five years.

The Daily Press reports:

Filling was sentenced by Circuit Judge R. Bruce Long to 25 years in prison, with all but 3 1/2 years suspended. Long said Filling's thefts were a "despicable violation of public trust." Filling recently sold some property and his attorney presented a cashier's check for $50,371 in restitution to the court.

Long also ordered Filling to pay court costs and serve 500 hours in community service upon his release from incarceration.

Officials with the rescue squad testified that the organization lost its nonprofit status with the IRS, was unable to buy essential equipment and may not be able to purchase a new ambulance as a result of Lewis' embezzlement and failure to manage the organization's bookkeeping records.

Read the full ARTICLE HERE.

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Posted by on February 19, 2012 • Filed under: crime, News • Tagged: , , ,

Thieving Treasurer Sentenced

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Thirty Years Without an Audit

GERALD WHITTINGTON, 67, THE FORMER TREASURER of the Aurora-Colden Fire District in Erie County, New York, was sentenced Monday and taken directly to jail to start serving a 1-to-3 year prison term for embezzling funds from the fire district.

West Falls fire station

Firegeezer first reported on his arrest in an October video report HERE where we told of Whittington’s arrest following an audit by the State Comptroller’s office that disclosed his theft of over $330,000.  Much of the money was used to keep his failing firetruck repair business afloat.  On November 29 he pleaded guilty to two counts of 2nd-degree grand larceny.  Yesterday he recieved his sentence despite his plea for leniency based on his repayment of much of the funds.

Read the details of yesterday’s hearing plus more background details in the Buffalo News HERE.

Whittington had been the fire district’s treasurer for thirty years and had never been audited.  At the time of his arrest the  State Comptroller strongly admonished the Aurora-Colden Fire District commissioners for failing to ever perform any audits on their accounts, writing  “Local officials can’t just hand someone the checkbook and walk away. There have to be checks and balances. Local officials have to watch every taxpayer dime, and $331,813 is a lot of taxpayer dimes.”

Read the full report of the auditor’s findings in the Firegeezer report HERE.

Posted by on February 1, 2011 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, crime, fire, Fires • Tagged: , ,

Fire College Director Nabbed for Embezzling

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Accused of Stealing $500,000 From Students

 MT. SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE IN WALNUT, CALIFORNIA, has a Fire Technology program that offers a variety of courses including fire academy preparation for people who want to become firefighters.  The Fire Tech section typically has about 1,000 students enrolled each semester and has been headed by a retired fire officer, Jerry Dewayne Austin who is listed in the school website as Professor / Department Chair.

Last week Austin was arrested and then arraigned on Monday on charges that he stole as much as a half-million dollars from the Fire Tech students.  At a time not disclosed, Austin opened a bank account under another school administrator’s name, using the college’s employer identification number, and managed to deposit every check that was written to the Fire Tech section including all the tuition payments.  The sheriff believes that Austin charged the students an inflated price for their tuition and kept the overages for himself.

A tip to the college back in September about the bank account led to an investigation that turned up the scheme.  Austin is being held in jail under a $3 million dollar bond because he is considered a flight risk.  He has converted much of his ill-gotten gains to properties outside the United States.

The Daily Bulletin has the story along with some background information on Austin HERE.
Mt. San Antonio College WEBSITE.
Fire Technology Section’s WEBPAGE .

Posted by on January 14, 2011 • Filed under: crime, education, Fire Rescue Topics • Tagged: , ,

More Missing Ambulance Funds

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More Than a Million Dollars Pocketed

ON FRIDAY MORNING AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL walked into the U. S. District Court in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and pleaded guilty to charges that she had embezzled more than $1 million from a volunteer ambulance squad.  Following her plea, she next went to the superintendent of the school board that employed her and resigned abruptly, catching him by surprise.  Previous to that day her school board had known nothing of her indictment that had been handed down on December 23.

Thea Tafner, was the former ambulance committee chairwoman of American Hose and Chemical Fire Company in Mt. Carmel, Pennsylvania, and according to the documents filed with her indictment, between October 2000 and March 2010, she “knowingly and willfully embezzled, stole and otherwise without authority converted to her use and intentionally misapplied moneys, funds, securities, premiums, credits, property and other assets of a health care benefit program” and “converted to her use Medicare payments in excess of $1 million” and “less than $2.5 million.”

Her primary task was to oversee the VFD’s contracts with the EMS providers that were used to operate the ambulance service for American Hose and Chemical.  However, because of her machinations there was a constant turnover of providers and the serious deterioration of service caused the fire department to get out of the ambulance service completely in March 2010.

The Shamokin News Item has the complete report on this latest action HERE.

Firegeezer notes that her plea bargain agreement includes all of her personal assets be made available to help pay restitution for her thievery except for her school board pension fund, thus preserving her retirement benefits.  Do you think somebody who stole over a million dollars from the VFD should be guaranteed her pension?

Hat tip:  Carmine S.

Posted by on January 10, 2011 • Filed under: crime, EMS Topics • Tagged: , ,

More VFD Embezzling

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Cynthia Janus

Cynthia Janus

IN ALBION, NEW YORK, A FORMER MEMBER of the Carlton Volunteer Fire Department was arrested and charged with stealing $27,000 from the department. 

 The Livingston County Daily News reports:

Cynthia L. Janus, 50, of 2801 Oak Orchard Rd., Albion was charged with third-degree grand larceny. An audit of the department’s financial records indicated that about $27,000 was unaccounted for between September 2005 and August 2009. The investigation determined that the funds were allegedly embezzled by Janus through her appointed position of operating the department’s recreation hall and bar, state police said.

She was released on her own recognizance and is scheduled to return to court on June 7.

WIVB-TV Ch. 4 Buffalo has this video report:

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Posted by on May 3, 2010 • Filed under: crime, Fire Rescue Topics, Videos • Tagged: , , ,

Indiana Goes After Public Embezzlers

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THE INDIANA STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL has intensified a campaign to recover stolen funds taken by officials of public agencies including volunteer fire departments.

The Muncie Free Press reports:

Attorney General Greg Zoeller filed a lawsuit against the former treasurer of a volunteer fire department, demanding repayment of more than $86,000 that the official allegedly misspent on alcohol, jewelry, video-game equipment and other unauthorized expenses.”Hoosiers are indebted to the courageous work of those who serve in our volunteer fire departments and protect our lives and property. So when one individual pilfers funds intended for fire protection and pockets them for his own selfish use, then the entire community ought to be offended. This embezzlement was a shameless display of greed for someone who worked among such brave men and women,” Zoeller said.

Gambrel was the treasurer of the Kingsford-Union Volunteer Fire Department from January 1, 2002, to January 13, 2009.  The FD’s executive board asked the State Board of Accounts to audit their books and the investigation disclosed numerous instances of misappropriated funds.  (Read the summary of the findings in the Free Press article HERE.)

This lawsuit is the latest effort by Zoeller’s office to crack down on public employee embezzlement in local government units and collect repayments from the individuals responsible. On January 26, a Madison County court ordered default judgments totaling more than $1.28 million against three former town officials of Chesterfield, Ind., who were accused of participating in a scheme that embezzled more than $259,000 in town funds – one-quarter of the town’s entire treasury.

Hat tip:  Wayne Z.

Posted by on April 29, 2010 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, Law & Justice • Tagged: , , , ,

Former Texas VFD President Sentenced

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cheney aGERARD CHENEY, THE FORMER PRESIDENT of the Sam Bass Vol. Fire Department in Williamson County, Texas, was sentenced Tuesday to 40 years in prison.  You may recall our earlier reports on his arrest last summer because the fire department is curiously named after a notorious outlaw, and bank and train robber from the 19th century who was hunted down and killed by a posse of Texas Rangers.

Cheney was first being investigated by the sheriff’s department for the theft of $220,000 from the VFD.  During the course of the investigation, his wife discovered a cache of child pornography on the family’s computer and reported it to the investigators.  After becoming aware of that, they charged Cheney last August with four counts of possession of child pornography, a 3rd-degree felony.  He was held in jail because nobody would bail him out.  See the first Firegeezer video REPORT HERE  on the initial arrest and some background on Cheney (and the notorious Sam Bass).

A month later, in September Cheney was further charged with the embezzlement of the fire department funds.  Read that report on Firegeezer HERE .

His wife of 17 years was completely blindsided by the investigations and she fully cooperated with the investigators.  While Cheney was still in jail she separated from him and moved her family out.  On September 10 she gave this interview to KXAN-TV Ch. 36 Austin and gave the tv crew a tour of the house showing many of the items that Gerard had purchased with the purloined money:

This past Tuesday Cheney, now 48, pleaded guilty to first-degree felony theft and four counts of possession of child pornography, a third-degree felony, as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors.

The Austin American-Statesman REPORTED:

Cheney joined the department in August 1994 and was president and treasurer of the five-member board for about four years, until his arrest, according to the arrest affidavit.  He was suspended after the pornography arrest and resigned in early September, officials said.

Officials said at the time of Cheney’s arrest that he was receiving the department’s bank statements and was responsible for providing a monthly report on receipts and disbursements.

After his arrest, officials with the emergency district and fire board said they would take steps to avoid giving any one person control of their $1.4 million budget.

The judge sentenced Cheney to 40 years in prison for the theft charge and 10 years in prison, the maximum, for each of the child pornography charges. The child pornography sentences will run consecutively, but concurrently with the theft charge.  He will be eligible for parole in ten years.

Sam Bass Fire Department WEBSITE.

sam bass a

Posted by on April 17, 2010 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, Law & Justice, Videos • Tagged: , , ,

Another Treasurer Goes Behind Bars

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THE ENDLESS PARADE OF EMBEZZLING FD TREASURERS continues with a side trip to a union local.  The Norwell, Massachusetts, Firefighters Union was first alerted to something going wrong when one of their checks bounced last week.  Further review of bank records showed 24 checks being written since October 2009 made out to their treasurer and cashed by him.

Norwell Mariner photo of Nguyen taken September 2009

Norwell Mariner photo of Nguyen taken September 2009

Puzzled over an empty bank account that should have had over 40 thousand dollars in it, the union officers asked the treasurer Truong Nguyen to bring the checkbook and his receipts to the police department  last Saturday so they could check out the problem.

Instead of showing up, Nguyen disappeared, triggering an arrest warrant being issued by Norwell police.  The Norwell Mariner reports:

After unsuccessfully contacting Nguyen at his home and after he did not show up to work, Norwell Detectives obtained a warrant for Mr. Nguyen for Embezzlement, a felony, which carries a five-year sentence.

Over the weekend, detectives received information that Nguyen may be at Foxwoods [Resorts Casino] in Connecticut gambling and contacted the Connecticut State Police office at Foxwoods and advised them of the warrant.

On Monday April 12, the State Police contacted Norwell police and informed them that Nguyen had been placed under arrest at the casino.

The checking account is largely comprised of donations, funds that are used for charitable causes and scholarship programs that the union supports.

Nguyen, 35, is being held in jail awaiting extradition to Massachusetts.  He has been place on unpaid suspension by the Fire Chief.

The Norwell Mariner has the full STORY.
The Boston Globe has MORE.
Norwell Fire Department WEBPAGE.

Posted by on April 17, 2010 • Filed under: charity, crime, Fire Rescue Topics, labor, News • Tagged: , , ,

Another VFD Embezzled

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TWO MEMBERS OF THE CATTARAUGUS FIRE DEPARTMENT near Buffalo, New York, have been arrested and charged with stealing $30,000 to $80,000 from the department.

John Finnegan, 52, the treasurer of the VFD, and Edward Holtz, 39, a member of the department, were in charge of operating the Bell Jar Ticket Game, a fund-raising device.  Holtz pleaded guilty to 3rd-degree grand larceny, but Finnegan was scheduled to be brought back to court today  or another hearing.

WIVB-TV Ch. 4 has this video report:

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Posted by on March 16, 2010 • Filed under: crime, Fire Rescue Topics • Tagged: , , , , ,

Another Treasurer Goes Down

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THE FORMER TREASURER OF THE BRIARCLIFFE FIRE COMPANY in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, appeared in court Monday to answer charges that she embezzled more than $103,000 from the department. 

Lisa Butler enters the courthouse Monday (WPVI-TV)

Lisa Butler enters the courthouse Monday (WPVI-TV)

Lisa Marie Butler, 37, entered guilty pleas to charges of theft by deception and misapplication of entrusted funds.  Her attorney convinced the judge that her husband had no knowledge of the thefts and that the money was only used for normal household expenses.  The Delaware County Daily Times reports:

The theft became evident when in December 2008, Butler was suspended from the fire company over a fight she had with another member, according to officials.

Because of that dispute, Butler was required to turn over all of the fire company’s records including the company checkbook and it quickly became clear that something was amiss.

Butler told investigators she would “make up some non-existent fire company expense to write in the memo sections of the checks,” and that she then made the majority of the checks payable to herself.

Officials said there was a policy in place by the fire company that the checks required two authorized signatures, including Butler’s. She told investigators that she would have one of the officials — whose signature was required — to sign blank checks for “convenience purposes.”

According to the prosecutor’s affidavit of probable cause, Butler converted 35 checks to her personal use totaling $95,425 and additionally she made two withdrawals of another $8,000.

She remains free on $250,000 bond until her sentencing on March 8.

Read the entire article HERE.

Posted by on February 2, 2010 • Filed under: crime, Fire Rescue Topics, Law & Justice • Tagged: , , ,

More “Easy” Money

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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.

messier

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.

rawlinsville a

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):

Posted by on January 30, 2010 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, crime, Fire Rescue Topics, News, Videos • Tagged: , , ,

More Promotional Opportunities

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THE SMALL CITY OF CASHION, OKLAHOMA, IS HAVING AN UPHEAVAL in its emergency services agencies lately.  Last month, the town’s police chief resigned abruptly and fled the state just a step ahead of the filing of criminal charges against him.  Former police chief Ron Nelson has been charged in a neighboring county for conspiracy and fraudulent application with regards to a CLEET (police training) certification.

Now it has also been disclosed that the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is investigating Fire Chief /Emergency Management Director Danny Clark and his wife Stephanie who is the town’s clerk and treasurer.  They are suspected of embezzlement and other “questionable financial transactions,” according to the mayor.

Update:  It was just one month ago that STATter911 reported on this same couple who responded to a fatal auto crash that turned out to be their daughter who was the victim.  Check that story HERE.

KWTV Ch. 6 has the video report HERE.

Posted by on November 7, 2009 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, crime, Videos • Tagged: , , , ,