Introduction to the Controversy

The suspended president of the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City, Freddy Escobar, stood outside his former workplace, waving a green thumb drive and a stack of papers that he said would clear his name. He couldn’t get into the office where he’s worked since 2018 because the union’s parent organization had changed the locks to the building and the gate code to the parking garage.

Background on the Allegations

He rang the doorbell to deliver his evidence, including photos of receipts, to counter allegations that he hadn’t documented many of his credit card purchases. But there was no answer. The dramatic scene unfolded Friday morning outside the union’s office in Historic Filipinotown, four days after the International Assn. of Fire Fighters suspended Escobar and two other union officers over financial improprieties, including “serious problems” with missing receipts.

Details of the Suspension

The IAFF also placed UFLAC under conservatorship, a first for any of the local firefighter unions overseen by the Washington, D.C.-based organization, a spokesperson said. The unprecedented move followed Times reports about the IAFF’s financial audit as well as massive overtime payments to Escobar and other union officials. IAFF General President Edward Kelly disclosed the audit’s findings in a letter to UFLAC members Monday.

Financial Irregularities

From July 2018 through November 2024, Escobar initiated 1,957 transactions on his UFLAC credit card, totaling $311,498, the letter said. More than 70% of those transactions — amounting to $230,466 — had no supporting documentation. “The auditors could not ascertain the purpose of these transactions,” Kelly wrote in the letter. He added that an additional 157 transactions — amounting to $35,397 — were only partially supported by required documentation.

Extent of the Problem

In all, about $800,000 in credit card purchases were not properly documented, the letter said. Vice Presidents Chuong Ho and Doug Coates were suspended and accused of breaching their fiduciary duties in “failing to enforce UFLAC policy.” Neither responded to a request for comment. Escobar arrived at the union office Friday morning to speak to reporters at a press conference he had called to refute the allegations.

Response from Escobar

He said he was unaware he was being audited and was never asked to provide his receipts. Under UFLAC policy, receipts are required for all credit card expenditures, along with an explanation of the expense, including the names of those present and the business reason for the expenditure. Escobar said the records he was holding included everything the IAFF said was missing. But he also said he did not tally up the totals and did not know how much money he was accounting for.

Documentation Provided by Escobar

All the receipts he was providing, he said, had already been uploaded into the union’s expense system. “Whatever they say I don’t have, I have,” he said. He said he compiled years of documentation, including more than 1,500 receipts, meeting minutes and explanations for his expenses, which included transactions for gas, food, hotels and Uber rides. He said none were personal expenses.

Questions About Expenses

Asked why he expensed Uber rides when he had a take-home car provided by the union, he said the rides were for members doing union business. Accounting problems had been flagged earlier by auditors for UFLAC, who in March 2024 highlighted “significant deficiencies” because officers were failing to properly document their expenditures. Despite that warning, Escobar made 339 transactions in 2024 using his UFLAC credit card — for a total of $71,671 — without submitting a single receipt, Kelly wrote.

Ongoing Controversy

Escobar said the auditors never spoke to him. “What’s a warning? It was an audit that said that we could always do better and that always occurs — we could always do better,” he said. Asked what could have been improved, since he said he had all his receipts, he replied: “Probably more detail. … Explanations, fine tuning.” He called on the IAFF “do the right thing” and reinstate him as president.

Future Plans

In the meantime, he said he will go back to work as an LAFD captain at a fire station in Boyle Heights. In a statement Friday, IAFF spokesperson Ryan Heffernan said that since March 2024 and as recently as last month, Escobar was “repeatedly urged — in written communication and face-to-face meetings — to fulfill his fiduciary duties to the members of Local 112 and submit proper documentation for all expenditures.”

Previous Investigations

Last month, a Times investigation found that Escobar and other top union officers have for years been padding their paychecks with overtime while also collecting five- to six-figure union stipends. Escobar made about $540,000 in 2022, the most recent year for which records of both his city and union earnings are available. He more than doubled his base salary of $184,034 with overtime payouts that year, earning more than $424,500 from the city in pay and benefits, payroll data show.

Conclusion

The controversy surrounding Freddy Escobar and the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City highlights significant issues with financial transparency and accountability within the union. The allegations of missing receipts and improper documentation of expenses have led to Escobar’s suspension and the placement of UFLAC under conservatorship. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the union will address these issues and work to regain the trust of its members.

FAQs

1. What are the allegations against Freddy Escobar?
   • Escobar is accused of financial improprieties, including missing receipts for credit card purchases made with union funds.
2. How much money is involved in the allegations?
   • About $800,000 in credit card purchases were not properly documented.
3. What actions have been taken against Escobar and the union?
   • Escobar and two other union officers have been suspended, and the union has been placed under conservatorship by the International Assn. of Fire Fighters.
4. What is Escobar’s response to the allegations?
   • Escobar claims he has all the necessary receipts and documentation, which he says were already uploaded into the union’s expense system.
5. What are the implications of this controversy for the union and its members?
   • The controversy highlights issues with financial transparency and accountability within the union, potentially affecting the trust between the union leadership and its members.