Embezzlement Scandal Shocks Community
331 views · Published 4 February 2014 · 1:48 · Indexed 23 September 2026
Channel: WLOS News 13 · 2014 · News & Politics
In a tight knit McDowell County community, the story has spread like wildfire. Thomas Swofford, the former chief of the Ashford North Cove Fire Department, faces charges that longtime residents like Howard Hudgins find hard to fathom.It's really hard to judge people, says Howard Hudgins of McDowell County. I hate it for him, because we all thought the world of him. Swofford has been hit with four counts of embezzlement. Department of insurance criminal investigators say $269,000 were stolen between 2010 to 2013. They also allege that as chief, Swofford made more $500 withdrawals from fire department accounts and kept the money for personal use. Hudgins can only shake his head.Why did it come to that.? What caused him to do that you know? He asks.An anonymous complaint about the use of grant funds filed with the Mcdowell County finance office spurred the investigation. The current chief, Jake Leopold, says the case does not reflect badly on his department. He says now that he's chief, they'll be more active in the community. Meanwhile, other former colleagues told us they have no comment.Still stunned by allegations against a respected man who was once their leader. _______________ Follow WLOS on social media: WLOS ABC 13 News on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/News13/ WLOS ABC 13 News on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WLOS_13 WLOS ABC 13 News on Instagram: https://instagram.com/wlos_13 Subscribe to WLOS on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ABC13Channel/?sub_confirmation=1 Listen to AnchorMOMS, the Podcast: https://wlos.com/news/anchormoms/anchormoms-the-podcast Watch more top local news stories: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kk8Ge6UXHJs&list=PLkVbaoT-aYbIvnEpR0Ct5QQQqYaORUSUH For all of the day’s top local and national news, visit http://www.wlos.com Watch our live newscasts and other live video at https://wlos.com/watch Have a news tip? Send it directly to us: Email us: [email protected] Call the Newsroom: 828.684.1340 WLOS ABC 13 News serves the Asheville, NC area and the rest of western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina. We keep our audience informed through local news, weather forecasts, traffic updates, notices of community events, sports and entertainment programming since 1954.
