A former Kentucky ambulance service director has been indicted on six felony counts after investigators said he fraudulently used employer funds and falsified records over a six-year period.
Michael Burling, 40, is the former director of the Elliott County Ambulance Service. Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman and Brandon Ison, the Commonwealth’s Attorney for Carter, Elliott, and Morgan counties, announced the indictment Monday, according to WKYT.
Court records cited by local reports say the alleged crimes occurred from January 2018 through May 2024, while Burling held the ambulance service position.
The charges are accusations and have not been proven in court.
The Indictment Includes Two Public Trust Counts
An Elliott County grand jury indicted Burling on two counts of abuse of public trust over $100,000, both Class B felony counts, according to WKYT.
The indictment also lists one count of theft by deception over $10,000, one count of theft by unlawful taking over $10,000 but under $1 million, one count of tampering with public records, and one count of criminal possession of a forged instrument.
Investigators allege Burling fraudulently used employer funds and falsified records while he was director of the Elliott County Ambulance Service.
Court Records Cited Personal Insurance Payments
WSAZ, citing court records, reported that one theft allegation involved more than $10,000 belonging to the Elliott County Ambulance Service.
The station also reported that the theft-by-deception count involved an allegation that Burling paid for personal health and dental insurance through employer funds.
Those counts are separate from the abuse-of-public-trust charges.
Medical Forms and Records Are Part of the Case
The indictment also connects the case to records, not only money.
Burling was charged with tampering with public records and criminal possession of a forged instrument. WSAZ reported that the forged-instrument allegation involved preparing and submitting medical forms with fraudulent physician signatures.
The Attorney General’s Office investigated the case through its Department of Criminal Investigations. WKYT reported that the department specializes in probes involving public corruption and misuse of government funds.
Burling Is Due Back in Court in August
Burling was arraigned Monday and is scheduled to return to court Aug. 10 for a pretrial conference, according to WKYT. Lexington Herald-Leader reporting republished by EMS1 listed his bond at $100,000 cash.
Small Public Agencies Need Controls Around Money and Records
Ambulance services, fire departments, local boards, and public authorities often handle payroll, benefits, reimbursement records, medical forms, vendor payments, and public money with small administrative teams. That makes basic separation of duties important.
Boards and local agencies can reduce risk by separating payment approval from recordkeeping, requiring board review of benefit payments, reconciling bank activity against invoices, and keeping medical or personnel forms traceable to the person who prepared and approved them.
Red flags include benefit payments that do not match board approvals, missing invoices, medical or personnel forms with unclear signatures, repeated payments to the same person or vendor without documentation, and one employee controlling requests, approvals, and records.
Suspected misuse of Kentucky public funds can be reported to local law enforcement, the appropriate Commonwealth’s Attorney, or the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office. The Kentucky Attorney General’s public integrity investigators handle allegations involving criminal misconduct by public officials and misuse or theft of public funds.