The chief of Monaca Station 58 Volunteer Fire Department is facing felony charges after allegedly stealing more than $30,000 from the organization’s relief fund.
Michael Joseph Ribar, Jr., age 30, of Monaca, admitted to making hundreds of cash withdrawals since 2018 to pay his own personal expenses, according to charging documents filed by police with the court.
The investigation into Ribar began on June 4, when two ranking members of his station approached Monaca police to report a possible theft of money from the Monaca #5 VFC Relief Association.
The fund is comprised of tax-funded state aid distributed to volunteer fire departments to pay for certain expenses, such as training emergency services personnel and purchasing safety equipment.
The president and vice president of the fund provided police with a copy of a letter from Freedom United Credit Union informing the association their account had been overdrawn by $72.68 since March 16. The letter was addressed to Ribar, who serves as treasurer of the fund.
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