Warrants detail embezzlement charges against Lynchburg firefighter

LYNCHBURG, Virginia (WSET) — A Lynchburg firefighter is in jail after authorities accused him of embezzling funds from the Lynchburg Progressive Firefighters Association.

Arrest warrants obtained by ABC13 on Wednesday shed light on what led to the charges.

Shaquita Ford, who has been with the Lynchburg Fire Department for four years, faces charges of computer fraud and embezzlement. In arrest warrants, authorities alleged that Ford transferred more than $13,000 from the LPFA to his own account.

PAST SCOPE: Lynchburg Fire Department employee charged with embezzlement and computer fraud

Search warrants said the LPFA’s vice president contacted the Lynchburg Police Department and claimed “suspicious transfers were being transferred from the account to a separate account at the credit union.”

LPD obtained a search warrant for the account into which the money was transferred.

LPD identified Ford as the owner of the account, according to the search warrant. LPD then compared the account statements with the associations and found that the transfers had been sequenced.

The arrest warrant states that Ford was one of only two people who had access to the association’s account because he was the organization’s treasurer. The only other person with access was the association’s vice president, for whom no transfer was made in the statement.

According to the arrests, a total of $13,249 was withdrawn from the organization’s account between February 18, 2022 and November 12, 2024. The documents state that transfers were made over the internet.

Ford has a $10,000 unsecured bond and will appear before a judge for a hearing on December 10.

LFD Chief Greg Wormser said Ford had been placed on administrative leave but declined to comment further.