LA firefighters union heads suspended, audit finds $800,000 in undocumented spending
Context:
Top officials at the Los Angeles firefighters labor union, including President Freddy Escobar, were suspended following an audit revealing over $800,000 in undocumented credit card spending. The International Association of Fire Fighters placed the union under conservatorship to manage its finances better, representing over 3,600 members. Escobar denied the allegations, claiming they are politically motivated and vowed to clear his name. The financial issues were initially flagged in October 2024, with former secretary Adam Walker found transferring $80,000 to his personal accounts, while former treasurer Domingo Albarran also spent over $300,000 without documentation. Vice Presidents Chuong Ho and Doug Coates were suspended for failing to enforce financial policy, highlighting a severe breach of fiduciary responsibility within the union leadership.
Dive Deeper:
An audit uncovered over $800,000 in undocumented spending among top officials of the Los Angeles firefighters union, prompting suspensions and a conservatorship by the International Association of Fire Fighters.
Union President Freddy Escobar and two other officials made numerous credit card transactions without receipts or justification, leading to immediate suspension by the parent organization.
Escobar publicly denied the allegations, labeling them as politically motivated, and expressed his intent to defend himself and clear his name.
The financial irregularities began surfacing in October 2024, when unauthorized transfers made by then-secretary Adam Walker were discovered, revealing misuse of over $80,000 for personal debts.
A comprehensive audit revealed that Escobar alone had charged over $300,000 to his union credit card without adequate documentation between July 2018 and November 2024.
Former treasurer Domingo Albarran was also implicated in spending more than $300,000 over several years with no documentation, pointing to systemic financial malpractice.
Vice Presidents Chuong Ho and Doug Coates were suspended for not enforcing financial policies, further exposing the financial mismanagement within the union's leadership.