Feds Take Over Mahopac Fire Department Embezzlement Probe
As skepticism of the alleged embezzlement from the Mahopac Volunteer Fire Department grows, federal authorities are now in charge of the investigation, a revelation that came to light last week.
According to multiple reports, US Attorney Preet Bharara has taken over the probe that’s looking into a possible $5 million missing from the department that apparently occurred for more than a decade. Originally, the Putnam County District Attorney’s Office was involved in the investigation, along with the New York State Police and state Comptroller Office.
According to an article in The Journal News, Mahopac fire department vice-chairman Ed Scott said the US attorney’s office took over the investigation in late November. The DA’s office had no comment on the matter, but generally, the feds will either take the probe from the DA’s office or the DA’s office will hand it over.
The investigation became public last October and since then, high scrutiny has fallen on the department, one of three that serve the town of Carmel. One particular name from the department that has been at the forefront is Michael Klein, the former treasurer of the department.
Klein resigned from the department in late September. One indication of the cloud surrounding Klein is correspondence between the department and Carmel officials. In a letter to the town board from the Mahopac department in October, it stated, “Due to the circumstances surrounding his (Klein) resignation, at this time, we ask he NOT be sent the customary letter from Carmel Town Hall thanking him for his service.”
