Theft by former VFW post commander results in post needing to merge with another
Michael Bruce Colley, 65, was a former commander of a Veterans of Foreign Wars post. He used money from the organization to make payments on his mortgage. This was not the only personal expense that he spent organization funds on. Colley was subsequently charged with wire fraud. He is looking at 20 years in federal prison and up to $250,000 in fines. As for the post, they were unable to recover these funds. They had to sell their building and merge with another post.
From Stars and Stripes:
A former commander of a Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Oklahoma pleaded guilty Monday to using casino ATMs to pull more than $40,000 in cash from the veteran organization’s bank accounts and spend it on his mortgage and other personal expenses, according to federal authorities.
Michael Bruce Colley, 65, of Marlow, Okla., was charged in September with wire fraud, according to the Justice Department. As the commander of VFW Post 1192 in Duncan, Colley controlled the finances and made more than 30 unauthorized withdrawals between January 2019 and June 2021.
He faces up to 20 years in federal prison, as well as a fine of up to $250,000. A date to sentence Colley has not been posted online.
The post was not able to recoup those funds and had to sell its building, said Jason Burns, the current commander of VFW Post 1192.
The Duncan post merged with VFW Post 4888 in nearby Marlow but kept the former Duncan post’s number because it was the older of the two, Burns said. Duncan is located about 80 miles south of Oklahoma City and has a population of roughly 22,000.
“We really haven’t moved forward yet,” Burns said. “We are fighting to stay alive.”
The post previously boasted a membership of more than 300 but it has dropped to about 180, he said. Only a handful of those left are active because some veterans have lost trust in the organization.
Stars and Stripes has additional information here.
Category: Crime, Society, Veterans Issues
Lost trust in the organization? You don’t say…
The one down the road is more or less a gay bar.
I think you had mentioned that in one of your previous posts…🤣
I’ve done auditing, and many small organizations/businesses suffer form the lack of internal controls. The same person wears too many hats and there no oversight. Not surprise and was probably going for multiple years.
Wait?……What?!
Apparently not a “full” leadership, with President, VP, secretary, treasurer……and in this case, an outside independent auditor?
Just a “president”, using VFW funds as his own piggy bank?
(and people wonder why I don’t join….anything)
At 65 y.o., he’s going to die in the pen.
Good luck collecting that fine.
I will be surprised if he sees a day behind bars. It will all come out at the trial that Peety S. Dee was the real culprit and therefore it wasn’t his fault.
Hmmm, wonder if he (Colley) was even eligible to be in the VFW. The article says he served in the Air Force from 1978 to 1988 as a Staff Sergeant Aircraft Fuel Systems Repairman.
Problem is, I don’t remember any wars during that time period as it was even a non-NDSM period.
Unless he did a tour in Korea and was deemed VFW eligible through that back dated KDSM they came up with (ala VFW Commander B.J. Lawrence)
I do.
There was the invasion of Grenada and the debacle in Lebanon. Operation Praying Mantis took place in 1988. There were various actions against Libya in the ’80s. Eagle Claw took place in 1980.
Whether this f*** stick participated in any of them is another question.
Yep, you’re right. Now I do remember some of those. Maybe he got a AFEM somewhere along the line that made him eligible for VFW membership.
Thanks for refreshing my memory.
When I joined the VFW after getting back from Afghanistan, I discovered I had actually been eligible for years, having drawn imminent danger pay in South / Central America. There were a lot of niche cases most folks – even most members – didn’t seem to be aware of.
Except none of them would have required the services of this crook.
Welp…he was elected by the membership…and as we all know…(s)elections have consequences.
I wouldn’t worry about this one landing on his feet. That’s a paltry sum compared to what others have stolen. He shoulda took lessons from Janet Mello and gotten him some of her millions. He’s probably already being interviewed for an executive position with All Points. He may even have a future as a Chili cook. And, as always…Brucie’s Bath House (enter thru the rear) is always hiring.
PHUQUE HEEM!
That’s some Phil Monkress shit.
Straight up All-Points Logistics business model.
I wonder why he was in charge AND access to money? Usually, the way we used to, was that the CO made the call but the #2 and ADJ had the funds. CO could not touch them. Makes sense and keeps things transparent.
Also, curious as how they dis not know? That’s a lot of coin.
So many members elect their friends to office regardless of their friends’ capabilities.
Howinhell? I’m a past Post Commander and the current Quartermaster for my post. The QM is the only one that’s supposed to be able to disburse the funds. The Commander isn’t supposed to have access to accounts. Plus there’s supposed to be 3 trustees to overlook the QMs books. That post may have been shutdown but I bet it wasn’t just the loss of funds, but the colossal lack of oversight to boot.
I’m a
proudLife Member of the VFW. I grew up reading my dad’s VFW and American Legion magazines, with him having been an annual member of the local Posts for decades. So, when I got home from Iraq, I joined his VFW Post. The American Legion was always a bit confusing, with different fees depending on Post and region, so I never joined them even annually. I might have stepped foot in that VFW in “The Little Town Too Big for One State” maybe five times since, but my name’s on the wall and everything, so I’m kinda a big deal. 🤣The VFW serves/served a good purpose, even if only for a place where like-minded Vets can just catch up. I went to the one in Hopkinsville, KY once and didn’t like the ambiance, but the Zachary Taylor Post in Baton Rouge was a regular stop for me during my recruiting days. Since moving back, I haven’t even pulled into the parking lot, though. Most of the “old-timers” are gone, with some passing while I still stopped in and others while I was in the last half of my Army career. Last I checked, the Post Commander is the same as he was 15 years ago, but when I attended one or two or their meetings years ago, they seemed to be decently run.
As others have alluded to, it seems that there was a lack of checks and balances in this particular Post. Even if afforded the opportunity to run a “one-man show” in any organization or business, it’s not a good idea. Have some oversight and accountability. Not everyone can/will resist the temptation to simply take what’s not theirs. Sometimes an honest mistake might be made, where having two or more additional sets of eyes would absolve you of any perceived guilt.
Anyway, put this guy under the prison but give him a job with UNICOR making office furniture. Start him at $0.23/hr. (BOP: UNICOR) and work him for 16+ hours a day, with all earnings going towards fines and repayment.
C’mon people, he’s sorry!
BP Is deeply sorry! (We’re Sorry) South Park (youtube.com)
Devtun,
Another deployment of Howie Hamburger / Paul Reubens / PeeWee Herman.
Who remembers what movie this came from?
Woops,
This is the better link.
I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m awfully sorry.
I’m a life member
And I’ve only attended two meetings since I retired from the Army
I felt like a odd ball around a bunch of 60-70 year old people
Did I join? Yup. As a life member. But having been in my now defunct post and dealing with the shitshow they were, they’ll never see another dime from me on any level.