By Alene Tchekmedyian
Los Angeles Times
LOS ANGELES — A former top officer of the Los Angeles Fire Department’s labor union has been accused by prosecutors of stealing more than $82,000 from a charity for injured firefighters to pay for his online gambling, his mortgage and other personal expenses.
Adam Walker, former secretary of the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City, was charged with one count each of grand theft and forgery, prosecutors announced at a news conference Wednesday.
| MORE: New audit finds over $200K in spending by suspended LAFD union president
Walker “abused a position of trust for personal gain,” California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta told reporters on a Zoom call with L.A. County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman . The case was investigated by a joint task force involving Bonta’s and Hochman’s offices.
Walker opened a bank account for the charity, named himself as the sole signer and transferred funds to his personal accounts, Bonta said, adding that he attempted to conceal those transfers with fake reimbursement records and by forging receipts to mislead auditors. The money also went toward cryptocurrency and his RV loan payments, the prosecutors said.
“This case is about more than financial loss. It’s about public trust. Nonprofit organizations play a critical role in our communities, and they depend on the confidence of donors, members and the public to carry out their missions,” Bonta said.
Walker has been under scrutiny since 2024, when the local union’s parent organization, the International Assn. of Fire Fighters, suspended him from his union position and accused him of improperly depositing more than $75,000 of the charity’s funds into his personal accounts from December 2022 to January 2024. The IAFF accused him of using $5,000 for personal expenses.
The task force began investigating and found that the total theft during that period was higher, amounting to $82,914, according to a news release.
After his suspension from the union, Walker continued working as a firefighter. According to the city’s payroll database, his total pay last year, including benefits, was more than $312,000, including $135,748 in overtime.
Walker could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday. It’s unclear whether he has retained an attorney. A spokesperson for the LAFD said that the agency has “no tolerance” for criminal conduct and that Walker has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the criminal proceedings.
UFLAC President Doug Coates said in a statement Wednesday that the allegations don’t involve any taxpayer money and that Walker has not had a union or charity leadership position since 2024.
“We take the trust of our members and the public seriously and have implemented important safeguards to ensure our finances are managed responsibly. UFLAC remains as committed as ever to our important work fighting for more firefighters, paramedics, fire trucks, engines, and ambulances for the residents of Los Angeles,” he said in the statement.
Walker told The Times last year that the IAFF’s allegations were false. He said the account he drew from was not for the charity, the UFLAC Fire Foundation, but was set up for two golf tournaments to raise money for a disabled former firefighter. He said all of the deposits were reimbursements for his legitimate out-of-pocket expenses for the tournaments.
“Not one penny of the money was foundation money,” he said. He said he understood that the deposits “look bad” but were a reflection of his “poor bookkeeping” and not any wrongdoing.
The Washington -based IAFF also suspended Walker from his positions as chairman and director of the foundation, which aids injured firefighters and their families, provides scholarships and is helping firefighters who lost their homes in the January 2025 fires.
In a statement, Mayor Karen Bass said the allegations are “deeply troubling.”
“I’ve spoken with Chief Moore, and I want to thank our state and local law enforcement partners for their work to hold this person — and anyone who commits crime — accountable,” Bass said, referencing LAFD Chief Jaime Moore.
The arrest comes after a tumultuous several years for the union, which was briefly run by a conservator after other top officers were suspended from their positions over financial issues. An investigation by the IAFF in May of last year found that $800,000 in credit card purchases were not properly documented.
Former UFLAC President Freddy Escobar and two others were suspended at the time over the “serious problems” with missing receipts.
After an internal trial, the IAFF retained some charges against Escobar. They included failure to provide full and accurate accounting, conduct detrimental to the IAFF and unbecoming conduct. The most serious charges — which included incompetence, negligence and failure of duty — were dismissed.
The IAFF extended Escobar’s suspension through the remainder of his term but said he may seek to run again for a union leadership position, if he chooses.
On social media in April, Escobar expressed disappointment that he was not reinstated, pointing out that he was not found to have misused funds and claiming that the case against him was politically motivated.
The conservatorship ended late last year, and Coates became UFLAC’s acting president.
UFLAC is backing a proposed measure for the November ballot that would raise the city sales tax to 10.25% from 9.75% and raise more than $300 million annually for a department that union officials say is underfunded.
The LAFD’s funding became a central issue after the Palisades fire destroyed thousands of homes and killed a dozen people.
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