Former Malverne Fire Department treasurer Richard Bopp charged with corruption

The former treasurer of the Malverne Fire Department, Richard Bopp, has been arrested and charged with corruption.

Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly released a statement confirming that the 45-year-old was arraigned Feb. 8 before Judge Madeleine Petrara-Perrin on three felonies: corrupting the government,  grand larceny and forgery.

Bopp has also been charged with a misdemeanor count of official misconduct, and falsifying business records, also a felony.

Prosecutors allege that Bopp withdrew nearly $20,000 at ATMs and made nearly $5,000 in unauthorized purchases on a debit card belonging to the fire department. Many of the ATM withdrawals were made at out-of-state casinos where the Malverne department was not conducting any business.

The NCDA was alerted to Bopp’s alleged fraud in August 2023 after an attorney for Malverne village alerted them to “irregularities in bank statements” following an investigation.

“Richard Bopp served for more than five years in high-ranking positions in the Malverne Fire Department and in 2021, allegedly began using his standing and access to steal government funds,” Donnelly said in a statment. “Bopp allegedly forged signatures, wrote himself checks and made dozens of debit card transactions and ATM withdrawals in locations like Las Vegas and Atlantic City totaling more than $30,000. The Malverne Fire Department depends on these resources to serve the surrounding community and respond in a crisis. This defendant’s alleged actions siphoned precious funds away from that essential objective.”

Bopp pleaded not guilty to all charges.

If he’s convicted, he could face up to seven years in prison.