Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service commenced an investigation within 20 minutes of being alerted to the man’s claims
20:40, 17 Jul 2025Updated 20:46, 17 Jul 2025
The GMFRS training centre in Bury(Image: © GMFRS)
An investigation has been launched after an apprentice firefighter bragged on a podcast that he was a drug cartel hitman. The recruit was six weeks into a training course for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service.
The investigation has now concluded and the trainee will face a misconduct hearing tomorrow (Friday). But the MEN understands that in interviews with fire service investigators he explained that his claims were made up just to make money from podcasts.
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service commenced an investigation within 20 minutes of being alerted to the man’s claims.
In one podcast he claims to have killed “more than 70” people and that after one killing gang members played basketball with a victim’s decapitated head.
The GMFRS training centre in Bury(Image: © GMFRS)
He describes how he was running with a gang in Los Angeles and progressed from “home invasions” – burglaries – to drive-by shootings. He claims he used a revolver in his first shooting “as it does not leave a casing”. He talks of “spraying” homes with bullets.
He claims to have seen children as young as eight armed with guns. He says: “I like the adrenalin. I wanted to join the Marines but I joined something else.”
He says of his “gang-related” youth: “You basically stick with your own race. You are always looking behind your back. I have seen kids pull out guns at the age of eight. You start getting a full sense of the danger you are in from around the age of 12. I have seen young kids, they have nothing else but the gang you know. Their parents are dead, or dad’s in prison, mom in rehab. They have nothing.
“We would do a lot of home invasion, like rob. I’ve never been a fan of selling drugs, but I have been a fan of getting money.”
Deputy Chief Fire Officer Carlos Meakin said: “We were recently made aware of serious allegations against an apprentice firefighter. We moved quickly to investigate and the apprentice in question has been suspended while we carry out that investigation.
Deputy Chief Fire Officer Carlos Meakin (Image: Kenny Brown)
“Public safety is our top priority and we will always respond swiftly to reports of attitudes or behaviours that go against our values. We are supporting all staff affected by this situation. We are unable to comment further while our investigation is ongoing.”
The Manchester Evening News understands that GMFRS carried out an enhanced level of employment checks before recruiting the apprentice in question, as is normal protocol with all potential firefighters. As the recruit in question had lived overseas, its vetting process included international checks. These did not flag any areas for concern.