A former Manhasset-Lakeville Fire Department captain was arrested last Thursday morning on charges that he stole more than $10,000 from the department over the course of three years, according to the Nassau County district attorney’s office.
The defendant, Alex November, allegedly made personal purchases using a fire company bank account devoted to beverage expenses called the “refreshment fund” that he was the sole manager of, according to DA Madeline Singas’ office. Between June 2014 and early 2017 he allegedly stole $10,072.78, according to the DA.
November resigned from the Manhasset-Lakeville Fire Department in August 2017 after colleagues investigated the issue and confronted him with evidence, the DA’s office said.
November, 30, of Glen Cove faces charges of grand larceny, falsifying business records and official misconduct, the DA’s office said. He was arraigned last Thursday and was scheduled to return to court Friday. He pleaded not guilty.
Efforts to reach November’s attorney George Michel were unavailing.
“The Board of Fire Commissioners and Chiefs are aware of the allegations against our former member, Captain Alex November,” the Board of Fire Commissioners and Chiefs for the Manhasset-Lakeville Fire Department said. “We are thankful to the district attorney’s office for investigating this matter and look forward to cooperating with this investigation, so justice is fully served.”
November allegedly used a company debit card to make purchases that ranged from Amazon and Microsoft transactions to Friendly’s Ice Cream and Payless Shoes products, prosecutors said.
He then is suspected of forging bank statements that went to the department’s internal audit committee to hide his purchases, they said. One statement shielded a $204.50 ATM withdrawal in Connecticut by calling it a “Debit Card Purch.”
Citibank alerted the Fire Department that the account was overdrawn in early 2017, which prompted a department investigation.
