Three volunteer EMTs have been arrested after allegedly stealing more than $325,000 from a not-for-profit volunteer ambulance group, according to the attorney general.
State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced on Friday, September 20 that Daniel Dominguez, 37, Daryl Adeva, 31, and David Moretti, 41, were arrested for stealing from bank accounts of the Corona Community Volunteer Ambulance Corps (CCAC).
“These emergency medical technicians, who were entrusted with providing medical services and transportation for New York residents, instead took advantage of their positions and used a not-for-profit ambulance corps as their own personal piggy bank,” said Schneiderman. “My office will continue to weed out theft and fraud in charitable organizations and prosecute criminals who take advantage of the public’s trust.”
The arrests took place after the Attorney General’s Charities Bureau received a complaint from CCAC board members about “possible missing and misappropriated funds from CCAC bank accounts.”
According to a felony complaint, the investigation found that while Dominguez served as a board member and treasurer of CCAC, he stole more than $300,000 from the nonprofit’s bank accounts by transferring funds directly to his personal accounts. He then allegedly used the money to go on trips to Disney World and Niagara Falls, and purchased luxury car service trips and expensive meals.
In a second felony complaint, Dominguez allegedly helped Adeva, another CCAC board member, make an unauthorized transfer of $8,960 to his own account. The Attorney General also charged Moretti, who served as a board member and president of CCAC, in a third felony complaint for stealing more than $11,000 from the nonprofit between September 2008 and May 2011.
“Moretti received wire transfers, cash withdrawals and unauthorized credit card purchases,” said the complaint. “These purchases included overseas money transfer and personal car payments, all made without the permission of the CCAC board members.”
All three volunteer EMTs were arrested and arraigned on September 20 on grand larceny charges.
If convicted, Dominguez, who was charged with grand larceny in the second degree, faces up to five to 15 years in prison. Moretti and Adeva were both charged with grand larceny in the third degree and each face up to two and one-third to seven years in prison.
