City councilman arrested for embezzling money from Hartford church

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — A city councilman was arrested for embezzling money from a church in Hartford, according to police.

Alexander Thomas, 27, was arrested and charged with second-degree money laundering and second-degree larceny after police said they initially looked into an embezzlement complaint on June 4. The thefts allegedly happened between April 2023 and April 2024.

“During this investigation, it was determined that the accused misused the church credit card to direct funds to a shell company, then to his personal accounts,” Hartford Police Lt. Aaron Boisvert said. “At the time of the thefts, the accused was employed by the church.”

A superior court judge approved an arrest warrant for Thomas, who turned himself in to Hartford police on Tuesday. His bond was set at $250,000.

“The City of Hartford holds its officials to high standards of integrity and accountability, and we trust the judicial process to determine the facts and follow the appropriate process in place,” Mayor Arunan Arulampalam’s office wrote in a statement. “While this pertains to an ongoing investigation, the City cannot provide further comment.”

Council President Shirley Surgeon issued a statement after Thomas’ arrest.

“As members of the Hartford City Council, it’s incumbent upon all of us to uphold the values and trust placed in us by the residents of our City. There’s an appropriate legal process in place, and I trust our local law enforcement to see that process through. In the meantime, the City Council remains focused on serving the residents of Hartford.”

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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