Former VFW quartermaster accused of stealing from post

A former quartermaster at a Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) post on Columbus’ West Side has been indicted on charges he stole more than $35,000.

Guy A. Andonian, 77, formerly of Columbus and now of North Carolina, is accused of stealing from VFW Post 4044 on Eakin Road between 2017 and 2019 through a check scheme. The indictment charges Andonian with two counts of grand theft and one count each of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity and telecommunications fraud.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Union County Prosecutor Dave Phillips announced Tuesday that a Union County grand jury indicted Andonian. According to the indictment, the crimes allegedly occurred in Franklin and Union counties.

“Stealing from a VFW post isn’t just a theft of money — it’s a betrayal of the very values our veterans fought to uphold,” Yost said in a press release.

The indictment charges Andonian with engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, telecommunications fraud and two counts of grand theft.

The state Attorney General’s Charitable Law Section investigated the case along with the Union County Prosecutor’s office.

As the post’s quartermaster, Andonian would have been responsible for the post’s finances.

According to the release, investigators found Andonian wrote checks from the VFW post’s charitable accounts to co-conspirators with notes in the memo line like “help veterans in need.” The coconspirators turned about half of the stolen money over to Andonian, according to prosecutors.

An arrest warrant has been issued for Andonian in North Carolina.

jlaird@dispatch.com