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Catawba FOP chapter involved in embezzlement investigation

NEWTON, N.C. — An embezzlement investigation is underway involving the Catawba County Fraternal Order of Police, Channel 9 learned Tuesday morning.

Newton police told Eyewitness News reporter Dave Faherty that the president of the Catawba FOP Lodge 26 filed the report on March 23 after discovering missing funds.

Channel 9 has learned that it is one of the organization's members who is being investigated.

An attorney for the organization told Channel 9 that the embezzlement was discovered during an audit and involved thousands of dollars over a four-year period.

"Routine audit, something just didn't seem right,” said attorney Scott Reilly. “It appeared some money was not being use for legitimate Fraternal Order of Police purposes."

The Newton Police Department is working in conjunction with the Catawba County Fraternal Order of Police, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the District Attorney’s Office.

"It doesn't surprise me," resident Smitty Smith said. "These people get the money and get their hands on it and they figure they take their part out before they donate it to anyone else."

Faherty visited the chapter's headquarters in Newton, but no one was there Tuesday.

According to its most recent tax records, the chapter raised $174,000 in Catawba County in 2014. On its Facebook page, photos showed members visiting the elderly at Christmas and helping with a local police officer memorial last year.

The FOP's attorney said the chapter's president went to police immediately after learning of the missing funds.

"The Fraternal Order of Police prides itself on, first of all, being transparent and their fundraisers and they pride themselves on every bit of this money going to the children and to the elderly," Reilly said.

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