Portsmouth man admits converting $31,000 in police union funds

Former Newport cop was FOP treasurer

Posted 5/24/18

PORTSMOUTH — A Portsmouth man who was formerly a Newport police officer admitted in federal court in Providence on Thursday of fraudulently converting more than $31,000 in police union …

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Portsmouth man admits converting $31,000 in police union funds

Former Newport cop was FOP treasurer

Posted

PORTSMOUTH — A Portsmouth man who was formerly a Newport police officer admitted in federal court in Providence on Thursday of fraudulently converting more than $31,000 in police union funds for his own personal use.

Adam Conheeny, 46, who pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, was the former treasurer of the Newport Police Department Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), Newport Lodge No. 8.

Appearing before U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith, Mr. Conheeny admitted that between August 2009 and December 2014, he used an FOP debit card to pay for his own personal expenses, and wrote checks payable to himself and withdrew cash from the FOP bank account for his own personal use.  

Mr. Conheeny admitted to fraudulently converting approximately $31,413 in FOP funds for his own use. As union treasurer of the FOP, he was not paid any wages or salary, nor did he receive an allowance, officials said. Mr. Conheeny had no authority to spend FOP funds for personal expenses, they added.  

He was the second former Newport Police union official to admit guilt in a fraud case. 

Christopher Hayes, 49, of Middletown, the former union president. was sentenced in July 2017 in U.S. District Court to six months of imprisonment followed by six months of home confinement. Mr. Hayes pleaded guilty to wire fraud in May 2017 for converting approximately $71,523 in FOP funds for his personal use, officials said. 

“Theft of union funds by union officials is a serious crime that can have a devastating impact on union members,” said Michael C. Mikulka, special agent-in-charge, New York Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. “As a police officer, Adam Conheeny’s conduct is particularly egregious because he violated the very laws he took an oath to uphold. We will continue to work with our federal and state law enforcement partners to safeguard union funds and protect the financial interests of union members,”

Mr. Conheeny is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 14, 2018.

The case, investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Labor Management Standards and the Rhode Island State Police Financial Crimes Unit, is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. McAdams.

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