Former fire chief indicted in alleged embezzlement schemes
WARE, Mass. —
Former Ware Fire Chief Thomas Coulombe was indicted Thursday at the Hampshire County Supreme Court in connection with two alleged embezzlement schemes, according to the Massachusetts Office of the Inspector General.
Coulombe allegedly embezzled over $28,000 from the town and three regional non-profit fire associations, officials said.
He will be arraigned on four counts of larceny over $1,2000, according to the OIG. The date for his arraignment has not been set.
The OIG began investigating Coulombe after he was accused of submitting false and inflated reimbursement requests to the town of Ware, and for allegedly stealing funds from three regional fire associations where he served as the treasurer, officials said.
The OIG said they initially shared the investigation's findings with the Northwestern District Attorney's Office for prosecution, but it was referred to the Worcester District Attorney's Office to avoid a perceived conflict of interest.
Coulombe worked as the Ware Fire Chief from 2002 to 2019. According to the indictment, it was between 2014 and 2019 that he allegedly made reimbursement requests for non-existent expenses and that he falsified or altered receipts to overstate his expenses.
He allegedly stole over $3,700 from the Town of Ware as a result of this scheme, the OIG said.
Coulombe was also a treasurer for three non-profit fire associations that provided training and services to the region while he served as the Ware fire chief. These associations received funding from area communities, officials said.
Coulombe allegedly embezzled over $24,000 from these associations between 2013 and 2020, according to the indictment.
Former Ware Fire Chief Thomas Coulombe was indicted Thursday at the Hampshire County Supreme Court in connection with two alleged embezzlement schemes, according to the Massachusetts Office of the Inspector General.
Coulombe allegedly embezzled over $28,000 from the town and three regional non-profit fire associations, officials said.
He will be arraigned on four counts of larceny over $1,2000, according to the OIG. The date for his arraignment has not been set.
The OIG began investigating Coulombe after he was accused of submitting false and inflated reimbursement requests to the town of Ware, and for allegedly stealing funds from three regional fire associations where he served as the treasurer, officials said.
The OIG said they initially shared the investigation's findings with the Northwestern District Attorney's Office for prosecution, but it was referred to the Worcester District Attorney's Office to avoid a perceived conflict of interest.
Coulombe worked as the Ware Fire Chief from 2002 to 2019. According to the indictment, it was between 2014 and 2019 that he allegedly made reimbursement requests for non-existent expenses and that he falsified or altered receipts to overstate his expenses.
He allegedly stole over $3,700 from the Town of Ware as a result of this scheme, the OIG said.
Coulombe was also a treasurer for three non-profit fire associations that provided training and services to the region while he served as the Ware fire chief. These associations received funding from area communities, officials said.
Coulombe allegedly embezzled over $24,000 from these associations between 2013 and 2020, according to the indictment.
