Tag Archives: fraud

Former NY Chief Facing Drone Related Forgery Charges

A former fire chief is facing criminal charges for having forged his credentials to operate the fire department’s drone. Michael J. Leonelli was arrested by New York State Police following an investigation that included the FAA and the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Transportation.

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Fire Law Roundup for December 16, 2024

In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for December 16, 2024, Brad and Curt discuss the $850K settlement of Houston fire captain’s claims over a nude video; an Alabama lawsuit alleging sexual harassment and retaliation; a ruling in Tennessee dismissing ...

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Pennsylvania Fire Captain Falsified Credentials

A former Pennsylvania firefighter is facing criminal charges for submitting fraudulent training credentials and driving fire apparatus without a license. Steven Bartholomew, 55, served as a fire captain for the Paxtang Fire Company No. 1, a position he was given in part due to the falsified credentials he presented.

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Indictment of NYC Mayor Has FDNY Connection

The federal bribery and corruption indictment of New York Mayor Eric Adams has an FDNY connection, alleging that certain chiefs were threatened with termination if they refused to accede to the mayor’s demands to provide preferential treatment for a building under construction for the Turkish government.

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St. Louis Firefighter Admits Stealing Patient’s Wallet and Credit Card

A St. Louis firefighter who was accused of using a credit card that belonged to the victim of a vehicular accident he responded to last year, has pled guilty to receiving stolen property and fraudulent use of a credit card. Arnold S. Britt, 41, pled guilty to one felony and one misdemeanor charge, and in the process admitted to stealing the man’s wallet and credit card.

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Fire Law Roundup for May 27, 2024

In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for May 27, 2024, Brad and Curt discuss a Massachusetts firefighter charged with federal identity theft in an effort to rejoin the fire service after  losing his job for stealing from his unions; ...

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YCMTSU Massachusetts: Firefighter Charged With Identity Theft

A Massachusetts firefighter has been arrested on federal identity theft charges. He is suspected of having stolen the identity of a dead person following his conviction for embezzling from the firefighters’ union of a different Massachusetts fire department and using his new identity to rejoin the fire service.

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Former GA Chief Facing Charges for Use of Credit Card

A former Georgia fire chief has been charged with using a departmental credit card to purchase approximately $200 of gasoline for a personal vehicle. Peach County’s former chief Jeff Doles is accused of inappropriately using the credit card six times over a two-year period.

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California Firefighter Sentenced in SAFER Grant Fraud Case

A firefighter who served 15 years with Cal Fire before retiring in 2014 and had recently been rehired as a captain, has been sentenced to one-year and a day in prison for defrauding the federal government while administering a SAFER grant. Samuel Thomas Lanier, 40, pled guilty in 2019 to seven counts of major fraud.

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Fire Law Roundup – April 25, 2022

In this episode of Fire Law Roundup, Brad and Curt discuss a decision reinstating a firefighter in New Orleans; an FLSA overtime suit by a captain in Louisiana; a suit challenging a union’s right to grieve the dismissal of a probationary firefighter; an award of $369k against FASNY; and a case refusing to invalidate a marriage between two Indiana firefighters.

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