Retired firefighter accused of stealing thousands from nonprofit that honors fallen firefighters
FOX 13 News Utah
[{'start': '2.480', 'end': '7.279', 'text': "It's an honor for us to do. Utah"}, {'start': '4.960', 'end': '10.320', 'text': 'Firefighters Emerald Society was founded'}, {'start': '7.279', 'end': '12.880', 'text': 'in 2014 to provide services for fallen'}, {'start': '10.320', 'end': '15.360', 'text': 'first responders. The majority of us are'}, {'start': '12.880', 'end': '18.160', 'text': 'current firefighters. They travel around'}, {'start': '15.360', 'end': '21.480', 'text': 'the country to perform at memorials,'}, {'start': '18.160', 'end': '24.080', 'text': 'families of firefighters, uh, police,'}, {'start': '21.480', 'end': '26.080', 'text': 'military, and EMS folks. Sam'}, {'start': '24.080', 'end': '28.960', 'text': "Christensen, the nonprofit's vice"}, {'start': '26.080', 'end': '31.960', 'text': 'president, says in April 2024, new'}, {'start': '28.960', 'end': '34.520', 'text': 'leadership came on board and found some'}, {'start': '31.960', 'end': '36.120', 'text': 'questionable um'}, {'start': '34.520', 'end': '39.520', 'text': 'withdrawals.'}, {'start': '36.120', 'end': '42.520', 'text': 'Uh found more and more and more. So, we'}, {'start': '39.520', 'end': '46.239', 'text': 'had a forensics audit done on our'}, {'start': '42.520', 'end': '47.160', 'text': 'finances and found that we had um lost'}, {'start': '46.239', 'end': '49.760', 'text': 'about'}, {'start': '47.160', 'end': '51.920', 'text': '$22,000. My initial thought was, what'}, {'start': '49.760', 'end': '53.760', 'text': 'happened? What did we miss? According to'}, {'start': '51.920', 'end': '55.719', 'text': 'a probable cause statement,'}, {'start': '53.760', 'end': '58.359', 'text': 'investigators say an audit shows'}, {'start': '55.719', 'end': '60.800', 'text': 'misappropriation of about'}, {'start': '58.359', 'end': '62.879', 'text': '$22,000 by the former treasurer,'}, {'start': '60.800', 'end': '66.400', 'text': 'Christopher Thurman. People get caught'}, {'start': '62.879', 'end': '68.000', 'text': "up in things and um don't they don't go"}, {'start': '66.400', 'end': '70.000', 'text': 'the way that they would have expected'}, {'start': '68.000', 'end': '72.080', 'text': 'and what we want to do is make sure that'}, {'start': '70.000', 'end': '74.479', 'text': "everyone is is made whole. Thurman's"}, {'start': '72.080', 'end': '76.400', 'text': 'defense attorney, Greg Scortis, says'}, {'start': '74.479', 'end': '78.240', 'text': 'this case has been difficult for'}, {'start': '76.400', 'end': '81.799', 'text': 'everyone. We are working toward a'}, {'start': '78.240', 'end': '84.080', 'text': 'resolution in this case that um Chris is'}, {'start': '81.799', 'end': '86.200', 'text': "contrite that he's repented and they"}, {'start': '84.080', 'end': '89.360', 'text': 'uncovered a lot more than I had ever'}, {'start': '86.200', 'end': '92.079', 'text': "anticipated and um I think we're all we"}, {'start': '89.360', 'end': '94.400', 'text': 'were all quite shocked in a couple of'}, {'start': '92.079', 'end': '96.240', 'text': 'weeks where we will decide whether or'}, {'start': '94.400', 'end': '98.560', 'text': 'not there should be a preliminary'}, {'start': '96.240', 'end': '101.600', 'text': 'hearing set. Members of the Emerald'}, {'start': '98.560', 'end': '103.680', 'text': 'Society were hurt. We feel betrayed, but'}, {'start': '101.600', 'end': '106.320', 'text': 'most of all, I think who we feel the'}, {'start': '103.680', 'end': '109.520', 'text': "worst for are our donors. I've known him"}, {'start': '106.320', 'end': '111.200', 'text': "for close to 20 years and we've laughed"}, {'start': '109.520', 'end': '112.880', 'text': "together. We've cried together. We've"}, {'start': '111.200', 'end': '114.960', 'text': 'raised a toast to many of our fallen'}, {'start': '112.880', 'end': '117.520', 'text': "brothers and sisters. They say it's been"}, {'start': '114.960', 'end': '119.840', 'text': 'a setback impacting their main goal,'}, {'start': '117.520', 'end': '122.000', 'text': 'showing up and honoring the fallen. Huge'}, {'start': '119.840', 'end': '124.000', 'text': 'amount of love sent to the families of'}, {'start': '122.000', 'end': '125.520', 'text': "the fallen. We're we're coming back and"}, {'start': '124.000', 'end': '127.119', 'text': "we're going to be we're going to be"}, {'start': '125.520', 'end': '132.039', 'text': 'stronger than ever in Salt Lake City.'}, {'start': '127.119', 'end': '132.039', 'text': 'Avery Kowanski, Fox 13 News, Utah.'}]