Wallkill Fire District Board Chairman Charged With Stealing $240,000

The chairman of the Wallkill Fire District's Board of Commissioners allegedly stole nearly $240,000 from the fire district.

According to the Times Herald Record, Michael Denardo of Wallkill was arrested and arraigned yesterday. He is accused of stealing $228,871 in a blank check scheme, inflating reimbursement for a trip to New Orleans for $7,426 and submitting $3,325 in phony expenses.

Denardo’s blank-check scheme began when the Wallkill Fire District hired an architect to draft plans for a firehouse expansion. Denardo obtained blank, co-signed checks from a fellow board member for what he claimed were architect payments and then pocketed $228,871, according to the release. He created fake bills as proof. State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli told the Times Herald Record that the problem was reported by a whistle blower from within the fire district about a year ago and his department was continuing to audit the fire district.

“This fire district literally gave Mr. Denardo blank checks which he used to support his lifestyle instead of the taxpayers he was elected to serve,” DiNapoli said in a press release.

Denardo is employed as a corrections officer at the Shawangunk Correctional Facility and has been suspended without pay from his job. He was arraigned in Shawangunk Town Court. He posted $100,000 bail and was released an is scheduled to return there next month.