(HE)
FIRST, MAJOR
DEVELOPMENTS IN A
TARGET 12
INVESTIGATORS
EXCLUSIVE.
THE FORMER COVENTRY
FIRE CHIEF ACCUSED OF
FRAUDULENTLY
OBTAINING A PUBLIC
PENSION -- HAS CHANGED
HIS PLEA.
PAUL LABBADIA WAS
INDICTED MORE THAN
TWO YEARS AGO.
NOW -- THE CASE IS
COMING TO A CLOSE.
(MM)
THE PENSION FRAUD
CASE CAME IN THE WAKE
OF OUR TARGET 12
UNDERCOVER
INVESTIGATION THAT
RAISED---- SERIOUS
QUESTIONS OF
ACCOUNTABILITY WITH
THE FORMER COVENTRY
DISTRICT FIRE CHIEF.
(HE)
TARGET 12 INVESTIGATOR
TIM WHITE WAS THE ONLY
REPORTER IN THE
COURTROOM TODAY, AND
IS HERE NOW WITH THE
DEVELOPMENTS.
(TW)
THE CASE AGAINST
LABBADIA ACCUSED OF
HIM OF CLAIMING HE
WORKED MORE YEARS
THAN HE ACTUALLY DID TO
GET A PENSION.
INVESTIGATORS SAY
LABBADIA WOULD HAVE
BEEN JUST 14 YEARS OLD
WHEN HE SAID HE BEGAN
AS A FIREFIGHTER IN
NORTH PROVIDENCE.
AND THEY DIDN'T BUY IT.
ON THURSDAY
EMBATTLED FORMER
COVENTRY DISTRICT FIRE
CHIEF PAUL LABBADIA STOOD
BEFORE A SUPERIOR COURT
JUDGE AND CHANGED HIS PLEA
FROM NOT GUILTY, TO NO
CONTEST.
THE CASE AGAINST HIM STEMS
FROM NORTH PROVIDENCE.
PROSECUTORS SAY IN 2007, HE
FILED PAPERWORK TO RECEIVE
A PUBLIC PENSION:
Which contained a false eronous
or
defective statement
STATE RETIREMENT OFFICIALS
SAY LABBADIA COLLECTED
MORE THAN 200 THOUSAND
DOLLARS IN RETIREE HEALTH,
PENSION AND COLA BENEFITS...
WHEN IT TURNED OUT HE
DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH YEARS
ON THE JOB AS FIREFIGHTER.
You are agreeing that had the
matter gone to trial the state
would
be able to prove those
allegations
Yes your honor.
TARGET 12 MET UP WITH
LABBADIA AS HE LEFT COURT
Im a political pawn in a chess
game.
What does that mean?
Im a pawn in a political chess
match
LABBADIA'S PENSION CAME
UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
FOLLOWING A TARGET 12
UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATION
RAISING QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS
WORK AS A CHIEF IN THE
COVENTRY FIRE DISTRICT.
A JOB HE TOOK WHEN HE LEFT
NORTH PROVIDENCE.
This is you smoking what looks
to
be pot.
Cigar maybe
You then share the 11:40 cigar
with
your friends there?
i dont know.
LABBADIA WAS TERMINATED
FOLLOWING THE TARGET 12
REPORT.
(TW)
WHAT ABOUT THE
BENEFITS LABBADIA
RECEIVED BEFORE THIS
CAME TO LIGHT?
THE STATE ASKED HIM TO
PAY IT BACK, NEW AT 6,
WE'LL UPDATE YOU ON
WHERE THAT STANDS.
WITH THE TARGET 12
INVESTIGATORS TIM WHITE
EYEWITNESS NEWS.
(HE)
BUT FIRST, MAJOR
DEVELOPMENTS IN A
TARGET 12
INVESTIGATORS
EXCLUSIVE.
THE EMBATTLED FORMER
CHIEF OF THE COVENTRY
FIRE DISTRICT HAS
PLEADED NO CONTEST TO
CHARGES IN A LONG-
RUNNING PENSION FRAUD
CASE.
(MM)
ONLY EYEWITNESS NEWS
WAS THERE----- AS PAUL
LABBADIA CHANGED HIS
PLEA THIS MORNING IN
SUPERIOR COURT.
THE PENSION CASE CAME
IN THE WAKE OF A TARGET
12 UNDERCOVER
INVESTIGATION THAT--
RAISED QUESTIONS
ABOUT LABBADIA,
WHEN HE WAS THE HEAD
OF A LOCAL FIRE DISTRICT.
(HE)
TARGET 12 INVESTIGATOR
TIM WHITE HAS BEEN
WORKING THIS FROM THE
BEGINNING AND IS HERE
NOW WITH
THE EXCLUSIVE DETAILS.
STATE INVESTIGATORS
SAY LABBADIA COLLECTED
MORE THAN 200
THOUSAND DOLLARS IN
PENSION AND RETIREE
HEALTH BENEFITS,
BY STRETCHING THE
TRUTH ABOUT HOW LONG
HE WAS ON THE JOB
MORE THAN TWO YEARS AFTER
BEING INDICTED ON THREE
COUNTS IN A PENSION FRAUD
CASE,
52 YEAR OLD PAUL LABBADIA
CHANGES HIS PLEA...
TO NO CONTEST.
The defendant did obtain pension
benefits from the state of RI
over
1500 dollars by false pretenses
with
the intent to cheat or defraud
the
state of RI
Judge: (
You are agreeing that had the
matter gone to trial the state
would
be able to prove those
allegations
Labbadia: Yes your honor.
TARGET 12 MET UP WITH
LABBADIA AS HE LEFT COURT
Labbadia: Im a political pawn in
a
chess game.
White: What does that mean?
Labbadia: Im a pawn in a
political
chess match
WE FIRST TOLD YOU ABOUT
PAUL LABBADIA IN A TARGET 12
UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATION
IN 2014 THAT RAISED
QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS WORK
AS A CHIEF IN THE COVENTRY
FIRE DISTRICT.
thats a cigar?
yes it is.
you know I got to tell you chief
no
one's going to buy that.
LABBADIA's PENSION FROM HIS
PRIOR JOB AS A FIREFIGHTER IN
NORTH PROVIDENCE THEN
CAME UNDER THE
MICROSCOPE.
STATE RETIREMENT OFFICIALS
CALCULATED LABBADIA WOULD
HAVE BEEN TOO YOUNG,
WHEN HE CLAIMED HE STARTED
WORK.
THE STATE IMMEDIATELY
SUSPENDED HIS BENEFITS.
(TW)
LABBADIA APPEALED THE
STATE'S DECISION.
BUT ALL OF THAT WAS PUT
ON HOLD PENDING THE
OUTCOME OF THIS
CRIMINAL CASE.
SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE
NETTI VOGEL SAID AT THE
HEARING TODAY SHE WILL
TACKLE THE PENSION
PAYMENT ISSUE DURING
SENTENCING ON MARCH
16TH.
WITH THE TARGET 12
INVESTIGATORS TIM WHITE
EYEWINTESS NEWS