Adam Walker, the former Secretary of the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City (UFLAC), has been arrested on allegations that he stole funds from the nonprofit to gamble online.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced that Walker has been charged with grand theft and forgery for transferring funds from the foundation to his personal account.
A joint investigation led by the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and Los Angeles County District Attorney (LADA) Nathan Hochman revealed Walker stole $82,914.24 between December 2022 and January 2024. The investigative team determined that the stolen funds were used for personal expenses, including online gambling.
“The California Department of Justice will vigorously prosecute corruption at every turn and hold accountable those who break the law and the trust placed in them by the public,” said Bonta in a press release. “I am thankful for the hard work of our DOJ team and our partners at LADA over the course of this investigation.”
Walker Violated Public Trust
“This case is about more than financial loss. It’s about public trust. Nonprofit organizations play a critical role in our communities, and they depend on the confidence of donors, members, and the public to carry out their missions,” Bonta said.
Walker has been under scrutiny since 2024, when the local union’s parent organization, the International Association of Fire Fighters, suspended him from his union position. He has continued to work as a firefighter during this time.
According to the LA Times, his total pay last year, including benefits, was more than $312,000, including $135,748 in overtime.
Walker Allegedly Made Fake Receipts Online
The complaint against Walker alleges that he fabricated receipts using online tools such as makereceipts.com, expensefast.com, and PDFPro.us.com.
The websites no longer appear to be operational. The Expense Fast domain is now up for sale. Walker used these services to make fake expense claims of over $6,000. The complaint does not explain how he attempted to cover up the remaining funds he is accused of stealing.
If convicted, Walker faces a lengthy prison sentence. In a similar case last year, the former treasurer of the Sheridan Park Volunteer Fire Company in New York was jailed for stealing almost $450,000 from the company’s funds to support his gambling habit.
Walker Denied Charges
Walker denied the charges when he was suspended from the union last March. He said the account he withdrew funds from was not the charity’s, but was set up for two golf tournaments to raise money for a disabled former firefighter.
“Not one penny of the money was foundation money,” he told the LA Times. He added that he understood that the deposits “look bad” but were the result of his “poor bookkeeping” and not any wrongdoing.
He claimed that $5,000, which he is accused of using for personal expenses, was actually a down payment to a golf course for a third tournament that organizers later decided not to stage.
In addition to using funds for online gambling, he allegedly used the foundation’s money to buy tires for his personal vehicle. He only reimbursed the foundation after he was questioned more than four months later about the purchase.
