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Thomas Coulombe is charged with four counts of larceny over $1,200, the Massachusetts Office of Inspector General said. He is accused of filing inflated and false reimbursement requests to the town and stealing funds from three non-profit groups, of which he served as treasurer.
The Office of the Inspector General began investigating Coulombe after they received a tip about accounting errors.
Investigators say from 2014 and 2019, Coulombe embezzled $3,700 from the town of Ware through a reimbursement scheme using fake and doctored forms. It's alleged he stole another $24,000 from three regional fire associations funded by area communities to provide training and services from 2013 through 2020.
Coulombe was a member of the Ware Fire Department for 38 years before he retired in 2021. He served as fire chief from 2002 until 2019, when he was demoted to lieutenant for showing favoritism to his son, who was a member of the Ware Fire Department, according to a state ruling.
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