Wilton career firefighter Michael Michelsen, between 2006 and 2008, is reportedly back on the job after being on paid sick leave for more than a year.
Michelsen, 58, and his wife, Paula Halloran, 40, of New Canaan were for allegedly embezzling $765,213 from the Greenwich woman while Halloran served as her financial advisor. They have pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree larceny and conspiracy to commit first-degree larceny and are currently awaiting trial, according to a report in the Wilton Villager.
According to the report, Michelsen had accumulated 1,944 hours of sick leave — the equivalent of about 49 weeks of work — during his 27 years with the department. He reportedly started using up his sick time off shortly after his arrest, but recently returned to work.
As reported on , the pair allegedly used a firefighters' charity as a front to swindle the elderly woman and used the money to build and furnish a house on Block Island.
New Canaan police, who made the arrest, said Halloran was working at the Smith Barney office in New Canaan during the time the transactions took place. Halloran was reportedly dismissed by Smith Barney in November 2008, for “violations of company policy."
Michelsen is accused of setting up an account for a charity to benefit firefighters in 2005, two days before the elderly woman wrote her first checks. Some of the victim’s money did go to the charity, police said.
Although the couple allegedly bilked the woman out of more than $1 million, they are only being charged with misappropriating $760,213 because the balance of the money they stole was taken in 2005, and the the statute of limitations for larcency is five years.
For more, check out the Wilton Villager report.
