Ex-officer in L.A. firefighters union charged with grand theft

Prosecutors say Adam Walker stole over $82,000 from charity and forged receipts.

- By ALENE TCHEKMEDYIAN

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.

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.