A strong union representing firefighters at the LA City Fire Department was placed in the reserve on Monday by its umbrella association. The association has announced to firefighters that the forensic audit revealed a massive misuse of the union fund by union leaders.
The International Firefighters Association also said it voted to suspend UFLAC President Freddie Escobar and two other union leaders.
“UFLAC leadership has abandoned its fiduciary responsibility and placed the local 112 on a foul reputation,” the letter said. “Financial misconduct by UFLAC leadership has done serious harm to membership.”
Although the call to the UFLAC spokesman was not immediately returned, President Freddie Escobar posted on Instagram that the allegations in the IAFF letter were not true.
“These false allegations are disgusting and politically motivated by the union and those who want to personally attack me, and I am going to clear my name,” Post said.
“I’m going to protect myself because I have nothing to hide and I have always worked for the benefit of our membership for better profits,” it said.
The IAFF letter states that auditors looked into union accounts between 2018 and 2024, finding that Escobar had made 1,372 credit card transactions totaling $230,465.67 without support documentation.
“The auditors were unable to confirm the purpose of these transactions,” the letter said, and after warning the UFLAC in 2024, Escobar spent $71,671.44.
The IAFF said it had discovered many other contradictions and inexplicable spending totaling over $800,000, and it has appointed a guardian to take control of the union’s account.
“This reserve is necessary to restore responsible financial management,” the IAFF said.
The letter said the audit also found that the two former union officials had not spent more than $500,000 on the union’s credit card together.
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