By Laura French
UNION CITY, Ohio — A report by the Ohio state auditor published Tuesday revealed that a former village fire chief and two firefighter-EMTs, one of whom is the former chief’s husband, overpaid themselves more than $75,000 by falsifying time sheets.
Ohio Auditor of State Keith Faber found that former Village of Union City Fire Chief Pamela Idle, her husband Firefighter-EMT Craig Idle and Firefighter-EMT Brian Stump padded their time sheets with EMS calls and transports that never occurred and were not documented through EMS billing records, as revealed by a 2018 audit.
The falsifications occurred between January 2010 and August 2016, according to the audit report. The report indicates that Pamela and Craig Idle and Stump are all former members of the department.
Pamela Idle was said to have received more than $31,000 in overpayments, Craig Idle received more than $33,000 and Stump was overpaid by more than $11,000.
Fabert has issued findings of recovering against all three involved, ordering them to pay back the overpaid amounts.
“Ohio’s first responders exemplify the best in each of us, putting the well-being of those in need above their own well-being on a daily basis. When someone undermines their reputation and the respect they have earned through sacrifice, we will pursue those individuals to ensure they pay for the damage caused by their selfish acts,” Faber said in a statement.