Fire Law Blog Fire Service and Public Safety Legal Issues Blog by Curt Varone
The theft problem in the volunteer fire service continues: last week the long time treasurer of the Glen Ellyn (IL) Volunteer Fire Company, David Garmoe, was placed on administrative leave after he was accused of embezzling more than $260,000 in fire department funds.
Garmoe, 54, a 26 year member of the fire company and treasurer for the past 20 years, has been arrested and charged with eight counts of theft, two counts of continuing a financial crime enterprise, one count of financial institution fraud, one count of money laundering, and two counts of forgery.
The Glen Ellyn Police Department began investigating after fire company officials found a discrepancy in the Fire Company bank accounts in February, 2011. They concluded that since 2004, Garmoe wrote approximately 87 unauthorized checks to himself and his business, West Chicago Fire Equipment Supply Company, from the Glen Ellyn Volunteer Fire company’s bank account.
After the fraud was exposed, the fire company hired an outside auditor to review the company’s finances.
