When Joseph Ruhlin was supposed to be watching over the Akron fire union’s funds the past six years, detectives say he instead was stealing them.
And, detectives now say, the extent of this theft was much larger than the union originally thought — totaling more than $600,000.
“It’s a staggering amount,” said Russ Brode, president of the 322-member fire union. “We had too much trust in one person in this position — and it was abused.”
Ruhlin, 40, of Akron, was indicted this week on five felonies, including aggravated theft and theft in office.
Ruhlin is in the process of being transported back to Akron from North Carolina where he was arrested in late March. He is on unpaid leave from the city.
Ruhlin, at the time accused of stealing as much as $100,000 from the union, fled after charges were filed against him March 23, according to authorities.
He reportedly left a suicide note at his home and was driving to Florida when he was picked up March 24 in Charlotte, N.C.
Ruhlin waived extradition. A prison transport that went to North Carolina to pick him up last week is making other stops on the return trip to Ohio. Ruhlin will be arraigned on the charges against him when he arrives in Summit County, prosecutors said.
Court records don’t yet list an attorney representing Ruhlin in the case.
Along with the theft charges, Ruhlin also was indicted on two counts of tampering with evidence and one count of telecommunications fraud. The charges are third-degree felonies except the telecommunications fraud charge, which is a fourth-degree felony.
Prosecutors say the theft of funds from Akron Fire Fighters Local 330, located at 161 Massillon Road, happened between August 2011 and March 2017. The funds were from the union account and weren’t public money or funds from the Akron Firefighters Credit Union, located in the same building as the fire union.
Brode said the union had checks and balances in place, including having an accounting firm look over the books.
“They were looking at what [Ruhlin] was giving them,” Brode said. “We didn’t have a system that looked at bank statements. That is how this was caught.”
Brode said the stolen money was from union dues that members pay out of their checks every week.
He said the union is bonded and will recoup money insurance. The union also will attempt to get Ruhlin to repay as much as possible, he said.
“We’re going to go after everything we can to recoup this money,” he said.
The union soon will choose a new treasurer to replace Ruhlin during an election scheduled for May 8 and 9.
Three members are running. Brode said the new treasurer will receive training from the union’s statewide affiliate.
“We will have so many safeguards in place that nothing like this will be able to happen again,” Brode said.
Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at 330-996-3705 or swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow on Twitter: @swarsmithabj and on Facebook: www.facebook.com/swarsmith.