Five Fla. Firefighters Accused of ACLS Certification Fraud

Oct. 19--A former Fort Lauderdale firefighter accused of being part of a scheme to defraud the city with fake medical certification was booked into Broward County's Main Jail early Friday, records show.

Michael Reimer is being held on charges of uttering a falso instrument, falsifying an official document, grand theft and a conspiracy charge, according to the records.

Reimer owns the company listed as the training site for the questionable Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support certification.

He, too, allegedly submitted the bogus cards to comply with state law as a condition of employment, investigators say. The altered medical cards were discovered during a routine audit by the Florida Department of Health in August 2011.

The ACLS certification boosted firefighters' salaries by 10 to 15 percent, prosecutors said.

On Thursday, three of Reimer's counterparts appeared before Broward County Judge John "Jay" Hurley in magistrate court. They were charged with conspiracy to commit perjury, official misconduct and multiple other offenses.

"We're talking about public officials with public misconduct that rises to the level of their conspiring to now cover up their crimes. . .," Assistant State Attorney Ellen St. Laurent said.

"It's the conspiracy aspect that concerns because it shows absolute disregard for the law," she said.

Firefighter Freddie Batista, 36, was ordered held on $50,000 bail Thursday and is accused of creating and disseminating the counterfeit certification cards. St. Laurent called him the "driving force behind the conspiracy."

Batista, too, was listed as the instructor on those bogus cards, according to arrest warrants.

His lawyer, Larry Besser, told the judge that his client's wife, parents and three sisters were present to support Batista.

Batista's mother quietly sobbed during his court hearing. Batista's relatives declined to comment following the hearing.

Firefighters Gregory Jones, 28, and Joseph Perri, 27, were also accused of submitting the fraudulent cards and were each ordered held on $25,000 and $20,000 bail, respectively. They posted bond later Thursday.

Also implicated in the case are firefighters Steve Loleski, 35, who appeared in court Wednesday, and David Mercado, 46, who was charged with a misdemeanor of falsifying public records.

According to documents filed in the case, Loleski and Mercado also submitted the made-up certification.

The American Heart Association's website says the Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support renewal course takes about five to six hours. Certification must be renewed every two years.

There are at least 12 private businesses that are authorized to offer the courses in Broward County, according to the American Heart Association website. Nine municipal fire departments are also listed as offering the training.

With the exception of Reimer and Mercado, the firefighters are on administrative leave without pay. Mercado is on paid administrative leave; Reimer resigned earlier this year.

The accused firefighters' salaries range from $65,500 to $76,585.

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