Thursday, October 5, 2000 Older Editions

Chief's signature forged: Man charged with stealing $123K from cops

By Rebecca Piro

The Andover Police Relief Association's financial adviser is facing charges for allegedly stealing from the police officers' private fund and forging the names of officers, including Police Chief Brian Pattullo.

The adviser forged Pattullo's name, and the names of two other Andover police officers in the association, on several bad checks totaling $123,290, Pattullo says.

The alleged check fraud continued unnoticed for about a year and a half, he adds.

Brennan Kavanagh, a financial advisor at Kavanagh and Co. at 68 Main St. was charged by state police last Wednesday, Sept. 27, on 27 counts each of larceny, forgery, and writing bad checks.

Kavanagh was the association's financial adviser from 1996 to 1999, overseeing the money coming in and going out of the relief fund. It was last December when police first noticed something amiss in the bookkeeping, says Pattullo.

"One of our investment advisers noticed a discrepancy in the books. We had written a check for a widow of an officer and it bounced. That brought our attention to it," he says.

"I was extremely surprised and disappointed that something like this would happen," says Pattullo. "I've known Mr. Kavanagh for 25-plus years."

To avoid a conflict of interest, Pattullo says he contacted the state police assigned to Essex County District Attorney Kevin Burke's office as soon as he realized the potential crime. They have conducted the investigation.

"I contacted them immediately upon finding out that there were some discrepancies, knowing that the association was a potential victim of a crime," he says.

"We immediately hired another accountant and suspended all operations with him because he was under investigation," says Pattullo.

No public money was ever involved, and all funds have been recovered, Pattullo adds.

Prosecutor Dunbar Livingston would not comment when asked if Kavanagh is being investigated for other charges of fraud.

If found guilty, Kavanagh could face up to five years in jail for each of the 27 counts of larceny or a fine of up to $25,000, says Pattullo. For each of the 27 counts of forgery, Kavanagh could face up to 10 years of jail and a fine of up to $500.

Kavanagh is scheduled to be arraigned at Salem Superior Court Wednesday, Oct. 18, says Livingston.

State trooper Sgt. Mike Cronin, who headed investigation of the incident, could not be reached for comment. Kavanagh also did not respond to phone calls from the Townsman.