Former Muse fire chief, treasurer charged with stealing $76k from department
The former Muse fire chief and his mother, who served as treasurer for the department, were charged this week with stealing more than $76,000 from the volunteer fire company in Cecil Township.
Alan William Zombeck, 38, and Toni R. Zombeck, 67, are accused of making various purchases with their department-issued debit cards over several years before fellow fire company members began noticing discrepancies and missing financial information.
Cecil Township police investigators met with the fire company’s officers in December after irregularities had been found with the department’s finances from 2013 until last year. The department’s members “suspected” in September there was theft when they noticed drywall tools purchased on a debit card around the same time Alan Zombeck was performing renovations at his home, according to court documents. Other members also noticed Alan Zombeck selling power tools on social media pages that appeared to be equipment missing from the department.
An officer in the fire company reviewed other purchases on the card and noticed unauthorized charges at stores, restaurants and gas stations, along with cash back transactions and ATM withdrawals. Both Alan Zombeck and Toni Zombeck had signing powers and access to debit cards connected to the fire department’s bank account, according to court documents. Toni Zombeck also could not produce financial books or receipts when requested, which was in violation of her duties as treasurer.
The fire company’s board suspended both of them late last year and then voted to terminate them from the department shortly after an internal investigation. Alan Zombeck was fire chief until December 2019, while Toni Zombeck was the finance officer and treasurer until this past November, according to court documents. The board handed its information over to police in December.
Cecil Township police and a private financial investigator found that nine ATM withdrawals totaling $658 were made using Toni Zombeck’s debit card between November 2013 and February 2020. There were also 45 “cash back” purchases totaling $4,020 during a similar time frame. Another 16 checks payable in cash to Toni Zombeck were written for a total of $7,103, according to court documents. Another 14 car loan payments were made for $2,773 for a vehicle co-owned by Toni Zombeck.
An additional $15,170 in utility payments were made using fire department funds, along with $46,560 in various other purchase at stores by the mother and son over the years, according to court documents. In total, investigators think more than $76,000 was misappropriated from Muse Volunteer Fire Company’s funds over nearly eight years.
On Feb. 22, Toni Zombeck allegedly texted Cecil Township police Chief Shawn Bukovinsky asking if investigators could drop the matter if she paid back all of the expenses, according to court documents:
“Hi Shawn I understand if you can’t or won’t answer me that’s why I didn’t put you on the spot by calling. Is there anyway We can fix this mess before arrest are made or I’m front page news. I know I’m responsible to pay back.”
Bukovinsky forwarded the text message to Cecil police Sgt. Joseph Stokes, who was leading the investigation into the matter, according to court documents. Stokes contacted Toni Zombeck later that afternoon and asked if he could interview her, but she declined until she could consult an attorney. Investigators also attempted the following day to interview Alan Zombeck, who allegedly said he knew he was in “big trouble” and asked “what amount of money are you up to” in the investigation, according to court documents.
Alan Zombeck, of 121 Rose Ave., Canonsburg, and Toni Zombeck of 52 Beech St., Muse, were arraigned Wednesday afternoon on felony charges of theft, access device by an unauthorized user and conspiracy, along with a misdemeanor charge of misappropriating government funds. Toni Zombeck also faces a felony charge of criminal use of a communication facility and one misdemeanor count of evidence tampering. Senior District Judge David Mark released them on nonmonetary bond, according to online court records.
Neither returned a phone call seeking comment Thursday, and no one was at the Muse fire hall Thursday afternoon to discuss the charges. Attorney Sean Logue, who is representing Alan Zombeck, asked people not to “prejudge the case,” but he declined to comment on the specific accusations against his client. No attorney was listed for Toni Zombeck.