In Los Angeles, key figures within the firefighters’ labor union faced suspension after an audit revealed unaccounted financial transactions totaling over $800,000 via credit cards, including those of the union president. The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), which supervises numerous firefighter unions nationwide, communicated its decision to place the City’s United Firefighters Union under conservatorship to ensure proper financial administration. The union serves more than 3,600 Los Angeles Fire Department members.
IAFF President Edward Kelly informed the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City through a letter about suspending Union President Freddy Escobar alongside two others implicated in numerous undocumented credit card dealings. In his defense, Escobar took to Instagram to refute the accusations, asserting he had always acted in the members’ best interest and dismissing the allegations as politically driven attacks.
The union’s challenges trace back to October 2024 when improper record-keeping concerns were reported to the IAFF. Investigations uncovered that former secretary Adam Walker, unauthorizedly funneled over $80,000 from a nonprofit meant to assist firefighters and their families into his personal accounts. The funds were allegedly used to cover personal expenses, including paying down a mortgage and taking money from casino ATMs.
Walker faced suspension due to fiduciary misconduct and fund misappropriation, though no contact was available for his response. A further audit revealed that over six years, Escobar spent upwards of $300,000 on a union credit card without substantiating its use for union activities. Despite prior warnings from auditors about shaky financial practices, Escobar reportedly failed to provide any receipts for over $70,000 in expenses that took place in one year.
Additionally, former treasurer Domingo Albarran reportedly spent over $300,000 over roughly five years, devoid of expenditure documentation. The IAFF’s governing body also moved to suspend Vice Presidents Chuong Ho and Doug Coates for neglecting to ensure adherence to financial protocols by the leadership.
Kelly emphasized the adverse impact of financial mismanagement by the leadership on the union members. Contact details for Albarran, Ho, and Coates were not immediately accessible.