Facing five years behind bars, an ex-UAW official pled guilty for her involvement in stealing millions meant for UAW members’ training.
The dominoes are beginning to fall in the United Auto Workers’ kickback scheme that involved a now-deceased UAW Vice President, his wife, as well as executives from Fiat Chrysler taking millions from a company-paid fund that was meant to go toward training UAW members.
The scandal, which is being partially blamed for the UAW’s humiliating defeat in an election at Nissan earlier this month, has drawn unwanted attention to the UAW from across the nation as the federal investigation widens.
On Tuesday, the second person in the case—ex-UAW official Virdell King—pled guilty for her part in the scheme, according to the Detroit News.
A former associate director of the United Auto Workers pleaded guilty to misusing funds that were intended to train and retrain blue-collar workers.
Virdell King, 65, is the second person to plead guilty in a widening federal investigation into improprieties at the UAW-Chrysler National Training Center in Detroit.
This morning, King pleaded guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to violate the Labor Management Relations Act. As part of her agreement with prosecutors, she faces up to 16 months in prison and restitution payments of up to $15,000.
Following her appearance in U.S. District Court in Ann Arbor, King and her attorney, John Shea, declined to comment. She had faced a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Ms. King will be sentenced on January 3rd, 2018, reported the Detroit News.
While others, including the wife of now-deceased UAW Vice President General Holiefield remain under indictment, it is unclear whether more will be charged in the case.
Related:
- Why the United Auto Workers was destined to lose the Nissan vote
- More Ex-UAW Leaders Under FBI Investigation As Bribery Probe Expands
