NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Shredding documents, deleting computer files, forging signatures, bullying and physical threats of violence are just examples of the sort of allegations expected to be detailed at an upcoming American Legion meeting.
Peter Poulos, Commander Post #8 New Rochelle, has alleged major crimes were committed by his immediate predecessor, former Commander Thomas O’Keefe and former 1st Commander and Post accountant Neal Parchan. The alleged crimes which include embezzlement and loan fraud will be detailed at next month’s General Meeting of Post #8.
“The charges are serious and all the information will be available then,” said Poulos.
“The evidence is on our side we have it all. I look forward to presenting it,” he said.
The allegations were made in responding to a Talk of the Sound story published yesterday containing allegations by Parchen that Ron Tocci laundered money through Post #8: Westchester County Official Laundered Money to Pay for New Rochelle Armory Lawsuit, Former American Legion Accountant Says
On January 17, 2021, in a comment on the Talk of the Sound website, Poulos addressed long-standing issues at Post #8.
“As far as infighting, since taking over as Commander 3 months ago there isn’t much of that due to the fact that financial malfeasance and personality issues have been mostly resolved with a changing of the guard,” said Poulos.
“As for the Financial Malfeasance mentioned (by him), there were no Taxpayer Funds Stolen, rather it was misspending on the part of the previous Administration at Post 8. Mostly Petty Cash Incidents,” he added.
Poulus offered assurances that the “changing of the guard” should give people confidence that issues of financial malfeasances were no longer an issue with a new, recently installed leadership team.
There will be a presentation at a General Meeting of the American Legion in two weeks when, he says, all evidence will be presented after which criminal charges will be filed.
According to Poulos, Neal Parchen did not work pro bono as he told Talk of the Sound but rather “paid himself $35,000 over a few years to write checks.”
“We have copies of the checks he paid himself $200 anytime he walked in the door for 40 minutes,” said Poulos.
“The Former Commander (O’Keefe) paid himself quite well to the tune of a minimum $600 a week.”
O’Keefe managed the bar at Post #8 for years and served as Commander, a voluntary position.
Poulos says O’Keefe and Parchen were “trying to scrub the evidence via trying to erase all evidence in the computer and purchasing a shredder.”
“We were able to obtain the evidence of how much money they gave themselves,” he said.
“They both worked in concert to take funds meant for Veterans to give to themselves,” said Poulos. “We have copies of the checks.”
The most serious allegation is that a former Treasurer’s signature was forged to obtain a bank loan. Bill Welker is a past Treasurer of Post #8.
“Between Tom O’Keefe and Neal Parchen they signed Mr. Welker’s name to a Loan Document to get money after he had already left 2 years before,” said Poulos. “We have all the paperwork and a letter from Mr. Welker to the fact he was not the Treasurer and did not give them permission to use his name for that purpose.”
“We have the paperwork showing money going to O’Keefe and Parchen.”
Filing a false loan document is a serious matter, even a Federal case depending on the bank.
Parchen said Welker left the Post for health reasons. Poulos has a different explanation: bullying by O’Keefe and Parchen.
“The former Commander (O’Keefe) also verbally abused the former Treasurer Mr. Welker, so badly he quit,” said Poulos. “Neal Parchen was asked to leave Post 8 after his Second Physical and Verbal Confrontation against members, witnessed by 14 members at both meetings.”
UPDATE: Commander Poulos offered to produce the records to Talk of the Sound next week. Expect a follow-up article based on those records at that time along with an announcement of the date and time of the General Meeting.