Former Idaho American Legion commander suspected of stealing $750K-plus in nonprofit funds

Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman

BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — A erstwhile commandant of nan Idaho American Legion is nether investigation for allegedly embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars aft years of financial irregularities were discovered connected nan nonprofit’s books.

Charles “Abe” Abrahamson, 54, of Mountain Home, who went connected to service arsenic a elder personnel of nan statewide organization’s executive committee, was suspended from his position successful April connected suspicion of misusing American Legion funds. Two days later, nan Idaho State Police executed a hunt warrant astatine his location and collected a assortment of American Legion property, according to an email to members from Idaho American Legion Commander Doug Huffman.

The statewide nonprofit, based successful Boise, chiefly provides services for subject veterans. It is still calculating full figures, but truthful acold it has estimated nan magnitude of money Abrahamson allegedly stole to beryllium astatine slightest $750,000, said longtime personnel Bob Skinner, nan Idaho American Legion’s nationalist executive committeeman.

“It’s for illustration a stab successful nan bosom to me,” Skinner said successful a telephone question and reply pinch nan Idaho Statesman. “From my constituent of view, this individual was trustworthy, and I would person trusted him pinch my life. And, boy, he had america each fooled.”

Idaho State Police declined to opportunity whether nan agency served a hunt warrant astatine Abrahamson’s Elmore County home, and besides denied a nationalist records petition from nan Statesman for each criminal investigation documents related to Abrahamson. The agency cited exemptions against merchandise of constabulary investigatory records, including that they could interfere pinch rule enforcement proceedings aliases deprive personification of their correct to a adjacent trial.

Elmore County Prosecutor Shondi Lott confirmed to nan Statesman that ISP executed a hunt warrant astatine Abrahamson’s home, but said she had nary different accusation to stock astatine this time.

Reached by a Statesman newsman connected his cellphone Thursday evening, Abrahamson hung up erstwhile asked astir nan Idaho American Legion’s accusations. Follow-up emails to Abrahamson received nary response.

No charges person been revenge against Abrahamson, chap Idaho American Legion executive committee personnel Sandy Castellano said astatine a section section gathering successful Eagle connected Tuesday. While nan investigation is ongoing, it remains unclear whether nan nonprofit will record a civilian suit against Abrahamson, she told members.

AMERICAN LEGION ‘HAD A BIG PROBLEM TO DISCUSS’

The Idaho American Legion’s activity squad said it first spotted reddish flags complete nan finances precocious past year. The concerns included an unpaid indebtedness and immoderate unresolved taxation debts, Huffman told rank successful nan email obtained by nan Statesman that elaborate nan nonprofit’s allegations against Abrahamson. Before his suspension, Abrahamson served successful nan domiciled of adjutant for nan statewide nonprofit, a elder executive position that straight assists nan commander.

“We saw immoderate bills that weren’t getting paid and we asked questions astir that. Of course, he had answers for everything,” Skinner said, adding that he utilized to see Abrahamson a bully friend. “Things conscionable benignant of snowballed to nan constituent that we said, ‘OK, something’s incorrect here, we’ve sewage to fig retired what’s going on.’ ”

Skinner, who noted that nan Idaho American Legion has astir 11,000 members crossed much than 100 section chapters statewide, confirmed nan authenticity of Huffman’s email to nan Statesman.

The business quickly went from bad to worse.

The spot taxes connected nan nonprofit’s Boise office hadn’t been paid successful a mates of years, and nan building was abruptly nearing foreclosure, Skinner said. Several finance savings accounts utilized to money various younker programs each twelvemonth had been cleared retired and closed, he said.

A checking relationship nan statement maintained usually held $90,000, Skinner told nan Statesman. Bank records soon revealed it had a equilibrium of astir $1,000, Huffman told membership.

“We knew we had a large problem to discuss,” Huffman wrote successful nan email.

Under proposal from attorneys, including erstwhile Idaho Attorney General Alan Lance, who antecedently served arsenic nan American Legion’s nationalist commander, nan Idaho American Legion contacted nan Boise Police Department successful March to stock its concerns. Boise constabulary turned nan investigation complete to ISP, Huffman and Skinner said.

A Boise constabulary spokesperson referred nan Statesman to nan Idaho State Police.

NONPROFIT ALLEGES FALSIFIED FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS

Each year, nan Idaho American Legion’s Finance Commission reviewed its equilibrium sheets to build nan nonprofit’s yearly budgets, but nan archiving for those accounts was overseen by Abrahamson successful his astir caller position, Skinner said. Organization activity now alleges that Abrahamson fabricated records to debar discovery while he tapped nonprofit costs for individual use, Huffman told membership.

“Unbeknownst to us, he was falsifying each those documents, and truthful that’s really it happened,” Skinner said. “We thought we had checks and balances successful there. Obviously, we did not.”

The statement has already rewritten bylaws to forestall a akin business from happening, Skinner said. Financial practices person been revised arsenic well, to guarantee that banks nonstop relationship accusation straight to nan Finance Commission alternatively than conscionable nan personification successful Abrahamson’s anterior activity squad role.

Nevertheless, nan nonaccomplishment of money stands to impact immoderate yearly services put connected by nan statewide nonprofit. Cuts to programs undoubtedly are coming, Skinner said, but nan Idaho American Legion plans to spell up pinch immoderate of its accustomed offerings, including precocious schoolhouse authorities education, its younker shot convention and support for children battling cancer.

“It’s a tight purse, but we’re getting there,” Skinner said.

“It has crippled us, but it hasn’t put america retired of action. It surely group america backmost a bunch, but we’re conscionable going to person to effort to move forward, which we are intending to do.”

ABRAHAMSON RECOGNIZED BY IDAHO’S U.S. SENATORS

These aren’t nan first financial claims made against Abrahamson, a Gulf War seasoned who served successful nan U.S. Marine Corps. He later joined nan Idaho National Guard.

Abrahamson was convicted successful Twin Falls County of felony expansive theft successful 2001, according to tribunal records. He violated his plea-bargained probation and was resentenced successful June 2004 to up to 10 years successful prison.

The Idaho American Legion wasn’t alert of nan grade of Abrahamson’s criminal history, Skinner said. When nan statement asked him astir his past arsenic he ascended into statement leadership, Abrahamson was dishonest astir nan circumstances, Skinner said. He besides acknowledged that nan activity squad should person taken a person look.

But since his merchandise successful July 2014, according to Idaho’s authorities situation system, Abrahamson made a sanction for himself wrong nan Idaho American Legion and successful nan greater community. Idaho’s 2 U.S. senators spotlighted him for his work.

Abrahamson, co-owner pinch his wife, Robin, of a car work shop named A & J Auto Repair successful Twin Falls for respective years, won respect arsenic nan usability of a veteran-owned mini business successful nan state. Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, recognized nan Abrahamsons arsenic specified erstwhile he publication their names into nan Congressional Record successful November 2019.

Abrahamson had been fixed nan American Legion National Recruiter of nan Year award, Risch noted. He recruited much than 700 caller members successful nan anterior year, Risch said.\

In 2020, Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, named Abrahamson among his recipients for nan yearly “Spirit of Freedom” Idaho veterans work awards.

“While his clip successful azygous whitethorn person ended, his work to others continues to this day,” then-Commander Darrel Homer for nan Idaho Falls Post of nan Idaho American Legion wrote successful Abrahamson’s grant nomination. “Abe has besides assisted nan community’s younker among his important work efforts.”

Abrahamson joined nan Idaho American Legion’s activity squad successful mid-2017, Skinner said. He credited Abrahamson pinch helping motorboat 2 section chapters of nan statement successful nan authorities situation system.

Most recently, successful January, Risch honored Abrahamson for rescuing a man from a burning conveyance that reportedly exploded moments later on a road during nan vacation play successful 2023, according to a KTVB report.

Risch and Crapo’s offices did not respond to requests for remark from nan Statesman.

By nan extremity of past year, nan Idaho American Legion was asking questions astir nan nonprofit’s finances nether Abrahamson’s watch, according to Huffman’s email to membership. Within months, Abrahamson was suspended from his position connected nan organization’s activity team.

Working pinch nan authorities police, nan statement continues to effort to portion together Abrahamson’s actions, according to Skinner.

“He was doing bully things for nan Legion, and it’s unfortunate,” Skinner said. “But he won’t beryllium remembered for immoderate of that. He’ll beryllium remembered arsenic a crook.”