Former Civilian FDNY Official Raised Money for a Questionable 9/11 Charity

April 8, 2005 -- A former civilian FDNY official raised money for a questionable 9/11 charity with a smokescreen of lies and phony props, including a fake link to former mayor Rudy Giuliani, a bogus uniform and fraudulent valor medals, fire officials are charging.

Stephan Hittmann was never entitled to wear a uniform in his civilian job as a director of fire training, but that didn't stop him from buttoning up the dress blues and pinning on bogus medals of valor � including a 9/11 ribbon � after he left the FDNY when he went on the road to raise money for his foundation, officials said.

Hittmann, who has not been charged with any crime, "is trying to capitalize on a catastrophic event by not only impersonating a firefighter, but the chief of department, and wearing combat ribbons that don't even exist," said Pete Gorman, president of the Uniformed Fire Officers Association.

Hittmann has also invoked Giuliani's name as the head of his organization � even though Giuliani has no connection to the foundation, officials said.

Hittmann could not be reached for comment.

He made the Giuliani claim in a letter to former fire Commissioner Thomas Von Essen, a Giuliani associate, where Hittmann listed the former mayor as chairman of his foundation.

"In no way, shape or form was Mr. Hittmann permitted to use Mr. Giuliani's name. Its use is misleading and inappropriate," a Giuliani represen- tative said.

Hittmann was asked to resign his $134,000-a-year FDNY job in April 2004 for general work-performance issues, a source said.

Fire officials said a probe is under way to determine if there was any misconduct while Hittmann was employed.