Ex-union official charged with theft from firefighters' fund

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(The Center Square) – A former union official has been arrested on charges he took money from a nonprofit meant to help Los Angeles firefighters.

Adam Walker was secretary for the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City for two years. California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who announced the arrest during a virtual news conference Wednesday morning, said Walker was also on the nonprofit’s board of directors.

According to Bonta, investigators found that, between December 2022 and January 2024, Walker “stole” more than $82,000.

“This individual opened a foundation bank account, naming himself as the sole signer, and then used that account to transfer foundation funds into his personal accounts,” said Bonta. “We found that he attempted to conceal those transfers by creating false reimbursement records and forged receipts specifically designed to mislead auditors.”

Walker is charged with grand theft and forgery. 

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman was also on the media call. Hochman said this money should have gone to injured firefighters but instead went to pay for Walker's personal expenses such as online gambling, mortgage payments and RV loan payments.

This, said Hochman, is why criminal law enforcement is so important in this area.

Hochman said he and Bonta want fraudsters to know that the District Attorney's Office has the support of the California Attorney General's Office to crack down on thefts from nonprofits.

Bonta agreed, adding that his office is “committed to rooting out corruption” wherever it occurs.

“Whether misconduct occurs in government, in the private sector, or within a nonprofit organization, my office will investigate and follow wherever the facts lead,” said Bonta. “Financial crimes may not always make headlines in the same way as violent crimes, but they can inflict significant harm on our communities and the people they serve.”

Bonta also stressed that nonprofits “play a critical role” in communities and that they depend on the confidence of donors, members, and the public to carry out their missions. 

“When someone entrusted with managing those resources uses them for personal gain, that trust erodes and is undermined,” said Bonta. "The only way to restore trust that's lost is ensuring accountability and transparency moving forward.”

The arrest also got the attention of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. The mayor emailed a statement to the media calling the allegations "deeply troubling" and something that should be taken very seriously. 

"I want to thank our state and local law enforcement partners for their work to hold this person — and anyone who commits crime — accountable," said Mayor Bass.