A former quartermaster of a Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Milton allegedly used his position to steal more $140,000 from the nonprofit organization, lawmen say.
Steven Christopher Williams, 35, of Milton has been charged with first-degree grand theft, fraud and two counts related to the illegal use of credit cards.
He was arrested April 21 and booked into the Escambia County Jail with a $60,000 bond. County records show he was released from custody the same day.
According to his arrest report, the president of VFW Post 4833 at 5918 Carroll Road in Milton contacted the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office last summer to report that Williams had stolen more than $140,000 from the VFW.
The president said only two people had access to the organization’s credit cards, the cantina manager and the quartermaster, and the quartermaster is only authorized to use the credit cards for “VFW purchases, preapproved by a council made up of current members,” the report stated.
An accountant for the VFW determined in an audit that a total unauthorized amount of $140,272.79 had been spent between Jan. 1, 2018, and May 31, 2019.
During that time, Williams allegedly used VFW funds to make purchases from different business in and around the Panhandle and to pay bill collectors.
He used the credit cards to make payments to Harley Davidson Financial Services, USAA Insurance and bought “numerous” items from Kay Jewelers and a Best Buy in Pensacola, according to his arrest report.
Santa Rosa County court records show that Williams is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 18 before Circuit Court Judge Darlene F. Dickey.
Colin Warren-Hicks can be reached at colinwarrenhicks@pnj.com or 850-435-8680.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosas Press Gazette: Milton VFW ex-quartermaster accused of theft