A former chief financial officer of the St. Johnsville Volunteer Ambulance Corp. has been arrested for allegedly stealing more than $26,000 from the organization she once helped oversee, according to New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.
Shannon Countryman, 46, is accused of grand larceny and forgery for using her position to divert funds meant for emergency medical services to pay for personal expenses. She was arraigned in St. Johnsville Town Court and is scheduled to return March 26.
According to a joint investigation by the State Comptroller’s Office and the New York State Police, Countryman issued unauthorized checks to herself between April and October 2023, falsely claiming they were for personal and sick leave accruals. Investigators say she was not entitled to the payments and went further by forging the signature of the ambulance board’s chairman on some checks.
Much of the money, authorities say, went toward home improvements, including a new roof and the installation of a well. The total taken from the company’s accounts was $26,456.04.
“Shannon Countryman allegedly abused her position of trust to divert funds meant to protect the health and welfare of her community to fund her personal expenses,” DiNapoli said.
Montgomery County District Attorney Christina Pearson echoed the call for accountability. “Individuals who take advantage of their employment position to commit financial crimes will be held responsible for their actions,” she said, thanking investigators from both the Comptroller’s Office and the State Police.
State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said the alleged conduct “is a clear-cut example of an individual using their position for their own personal benefit.”
Countryman had served as the volunteer ambulance company’s CFO for nearly two decades before the alleged theft. Authorities emphasized that the charges are accusations at this stage, and Countryman is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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