As in prior years, corruption plagued many unions in 2018, as union bosses across the nation were caught with their hands in the proverbial cookie jar.
The list below does not encompass all of the union corruption stories across the nation.
For example, the United Auto Workers’ corruption scandal is still ongoing, with new news reports coming out weekly.
However, these are the cases* of union corruption in 2019, as reported by the U.S. Department of Labor.
On December 18, 2019, in Adams County, Wisconsin Circuit Court, David Dauman, former President of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 3495 (located in Oxford, Wisc.), pleaded guilty to one count of misdemeanor theft, in violation of Wisconsin State Statutes 943.20(1)(a). He was then fined $100 and ordered to pay court costs. Dauman previously paid full restitution of $3,597 and completed 25 hours of community service. The guilty plea and sentencing follow an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office.
On December 18, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, Eric Childress, former Secretary-Treasurer of Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 2276 (located in Bluefield, W.Va.), pleaded guilty to one count of making a false entry in a union record, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia-Pittsburgh District Office.
On December 17, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, Stephen Perez, former Treasurer of Steelworkers Local 402 (located in Muskegon, Mich.), was sentenced to two years of probation and was ordered to pay restitution of $14,408. On August 27, 2019, Perez pleaded guilty to one count of embezzling $14,408 in union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office.
On December 17, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, Eric Childress, former Secretary-Treasurer of Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 2276 (located in Bluefield, W.Va.), was charged in an information with one count of making a false entry in a union record, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia-Pittsburgh District Office.
On December 16, 2019, in Yakima County District Court in Yakima, Washington, Brian Slavens, former Secretary-Treasurer of International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local F-295 (located in Yakima, Wash.), was charged with theft in the 1st degree for embezzling approximately $6,000 in union funds, in violation of Washington State criminal code RCW 9A.56.030. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS San Francisco-Seattle District Office.
On December 16, 2019, in the Trial Court of Massachusetts, Worcester District Court, Darius Pourfarzaneh, former Trustee of Stage and Picture Operators, AFL-CIO, Local 935-B (located in Worcester, Mass.), pleaded guilty to one count of larceny over $250, in violation of Massachusetts G.L. c.266, §30(1). He was then sentenced to four years of probation and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $6,870. The guilty plea and sentencing follow an investigation by the OLMS Boston-Buffalo District Office.
On December 13, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Beverly Davis, former employee of Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 6222 (located in Houston, Tex.), pleaded guilty to a one-count information charging her with embezzling $85,536 in union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
On December 13, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Evelyn Smith, former Secretary Treasurer of Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 6222 (located in Houston, Tex.), pleaded guilty to a one-count information charging her with embezzling $50,967 in union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
On December 12, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, John Ulrich, former Vice-President and Recording Secretary of Teamsters Local 812 (located in Great Neck, N.Y.), pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to solicit and receive bribes to influence the operation of an employee benefit plan, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS New York District Office, the Department of Labor’s Inspector General, the Employee Benefits Security Administration, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On December 11, 2019, in the Circuit Court for Baltimore County, Maryland, John Scarcella, former Secretary-Treasurer of Association of Civilian Technicians (ACT) Local 125 (located in Middle River, Md.), pleaded guilty to one count of theft of more than $10,000 and less than $100,000 for stealing $28,010 from the union, in violation of Section 7-104 of the Maryland Criminal Code. Scarcella was then sentenced to 18 months in jail (all suspended) and 36 months of unsupervised probation. He was also ordered to pay the remaining restitution of $22,760. The guilty plea and sentencing follow an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
On December 9, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii, Rodney Capello, former business manager for Laborers Local 722 – Hawaii Electrical Workers (located in Honolulu, Hawaii), was sentenced to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release, and he was ordered to pay $184,771 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. On August 14, 2019, Capello pleaded guilty to one count of embezzling union funds totaling $184,771, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Honolulu Resident Office.
On December 5, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, Angel Luis Garcia, former Financial Secretary of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1614 (located in Dover, N.J.), was charged in a criminal complaint with one count of embezzlement in the amount of $117,000, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS New York District Office.
On December 5, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, Audonus Duplessis, former President of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 2463 (located in Washington, D.C.), was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison to be followed by three years of supervised probation and 300 hours of community service. He was also ordered to pay $87,020 in restitution. On September 12, 2019, Duplessis pleaded guilty to one count of interstate transportation of stolen property, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 2314. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
On December 4, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, Amber Blake, former Secretary Treasurer of Machinists Local Lodge 124 (located in Channahon, Ill.), pleaded guilty to an information charging her with willfully causing a false entry in books, records, reports, and statements required to be kept by 29 U.S.C. 436, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Chicago District Office.
On December 4, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Joseph Ashton, former United Automobile Workers (UAW) International Vice President in the General Motors (GM) Department and director of the UAW-GM Center for Human Resources from 2010 through 2014 (located in Detroit, Mich.), pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud (18 U.S.C. 1349) and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering (18 U.S.C. 1956(h)). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations.
On December 4, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, after a six day trial, a jury found Frank Giovinco guilty of one count of racketeering conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1962. Frank Cognetta, former Secretary-Treasurer of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1D (located in Brooklyn, N.Y.), and Vincent D’Acunto, Jr., former Secretary-Treasurer of UFCW Local 2D (located in Brooklyn, N.Y.), and others were also charged in the same indictment as Giovinco, previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced. The verdict follows a joint investigation by the OLMS New York District Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office SDNY, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New York City Police Department, and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
On December 3, 2019, in the Fulton Superior Court for the State of Georgia, Andretta Davis, former office secretary of Operatives Plasterers’ and Cement Masons’ International Association (OPCMIA) Local 148 (located in Atlanta, Ga.), was charged in an indictment with one count of theft by taking and three counts of forgery, in violation of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A.) 16-8-2 and 16-9-1, respectively. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Atlanta-Nashville District Office.
On November 26, 2019, in United States District Court for the District Of New Mexico, Jessica Pangburn, former office manager for Operating Engineers Local 953 (located in Albuquerque, N.M.), waived an indictment and pled guilty to one count of wire fraud, in violation of 18 USC 1343. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver-St. Louis District Office.
On November 25, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Beverly Davis, former employee of Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 6222 (located in Houston, Tex.), was charged in a one-count information with embezzling $85,536 in union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
On November 25, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Evelyn Smith, former Secretary Treasurer of Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 6222 (located in Houston, Tex.), was charged in a one-count information with embezzling $50,967 in union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
On November 20, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, Rocky Gannon, the former President of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 2302 (located in Fort Knox, Ky.), was charged in a twelve count indictment including three counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343, and nine counts of forged securities, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 513(a). The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati-Cleveland District Office.
On November 20, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, Kenneth Morris, former Treasurer of American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 2240 (located in San Francisco, Calif.), pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud in the amount of $101,583 , in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1344(2). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS San Francisco-Seattle District Office.
On November 19, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, Kelly Carter, former President of National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 560 (located in Benton Harbor, Mich.), was sentenced to six months of home confinement, two years of probation, and 200 hours of community service. Carter previously made restitution totaling $9,031. On August 20, 2019, Carter pleaded guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $9,031, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office and the U.S. Postal Service’s Office of the Inspector General.
On November 19, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, Amber Blake, former Secretary Treasurer of Machinists Local Lodge 124, (located in Channahon, Ill.) was charged by information with one count of making a false entry, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Chicago District Office.
On November 19, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division, Tony Westly, former Business Manager/Financial Secretary Treasurer of Plasterers and Cement Masons (OPCMIA) Local 148 (located in Atlanta, Ga.), pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement of union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Atlanta-Nashville District Office.
On November 18, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Bud G. Sherwood, former Secretary Treasurer of Transportation Communications Union/International Association of Machinists (TCU/IAM) Lodge 6546 (located in Bellevue, Ohio), was sentenced to time served and one year of supervised release. Sherwood previously paid restitution of $13,002. On June 10, 2019, Sherwood pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement of union funds in the amount of $10,813. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati- Cleveland District Office.
On November 15, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), Steven Arena was sentenced to one year in prison and three years of supervised release, and he was ordered to pay $276,500 in forfeiture. On May 31, 2019, Arena pleaded guilty to extortion, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1951(a). Frank Cognetta, former Secretary-Treasurer of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1D (located in Brooklyn, N.Y.), and Vincent D’Acunto, Jr., former Secretary-Treasurer of UFCW Local 2D (located in Brooklyn, N.Y.), who were also charged in the same indictment as Arena, have previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced. The sentencing follows a joint investigation by the OLMS New York District Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office SDNY, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New York City Police Department, and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
On November 8, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Alexandria Division, Michael Carney, former facilities and real estate manager for an international labor organization (located in Herndon, Va.), was sentenced to eight months of home confinement and two years of supervised probation. He was also fined $25,000. Restitution of $23,367 was previously satisfied by another individual. On May 16, 2019, Carney pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and embezzle union funds by conspiring with, among others, the owner of an HVAC and plumbing contracting company, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
On November 7, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut, Thomas Popillo, former President of Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 81266 (located in Newington, Conn.), was sentenced to three years of probation to include six months of home confinement. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $37,568 and a $100 special assessment. On August 7, 2019, Popillo pleaded guilty to one count of embezzling union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Boston-Buffalo District Office.
On November 6, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Joseph Ashton, former United Auto Workers (UAW) International Vice President in the General Motors Department and director of the UAW-GM Center for Human Resources (CHR) from 2010 through 2014 (located in Detroit, Mich.), was charged in an information with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud (18 U.S.C. 1349) and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering (18 U.S.C. 1956(h)). Ashton knowingly joined a conspiracy whereby he and others used their positions with the UAW and CHR to personally enrich themselves by obtaining a $250,000 loan from a vendor. They then assisted the same vendor in obtaining a contract from CHR valued at over $3,900,000 and suggesting that the profits would repay the vendor what was owed on the loan. After the vendor was awarded the contract from the CHR, Ashton demanded at least $250,000 in kickbacks. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations.
On November 4, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona, Mitchell Sharp, former organizer of Laborers DC Southwest Indian Health Services (located in Phoenix, Ariz.), was sentenced to 36 months of supervised release and ordered to pay $6,373.44 in restitution and a $25 fine. On August 23, 2019, Sharp pled guilty to Theft Within Indian Country, in violation of 18 U.S.C. Sections 1153 and 661. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office.
On October 31, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Edward “Nick” Robinson, President of Auto Workers (UAW) Midwest CAP Council, located in Hazelwood, Mo., was charged by information with one count of embezzling union funds (29 U.S.C. 501(c)) and conspiracy to embezzle union funds (18 U.S.C. 371). From at least 2010 and continuing through or about September 2019, Robinson embezzled and conspired to embezzle approximately $1,500,000 in union funds by submitting fraudulent vouchers to the UAW that misrepresented the destination and purpose of the expenses and by using unauthorized checks to divert funds from the UAW Midwest CAP Council. Robinson was also charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States (18 U.S.C. 371) for failing to report over $1,500,000 in income on the IRS Form 990 returns filed by the UAW and UAW Midwest CAP Council and for failing to report the income on his Form 1040 tax returns filed with the Internal Revenue Service. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations.
On October 31, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Tony Westly, former Business Manager/Financial Secretary Treasurer of Operatives Plasterers’ and Cement Masons’ International Association (OPCMIA) Local 148 (located in Atlanta, Ga.), was charged in a one-count information with embezzlement of union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Atlanta-Nashville District Office.
On October 30, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, Southern Division, Ellen Canterbury, former President of Metal Trades Department (MTD) Metal Trades Council, Wiregrass Trades (located in Fort Rucker, Ala.), was charged in a one-count indictment with bank robbery and incidental crimes in the amount of $11,570, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 2113(b). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Atlanta-Nashville District Office.
On October 29, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Western District of New York, Brian Arnold, former Financial Secretary of Steelworkers Local 104M (located in Elmira, N.Y.), was charged in a criminal complaint with one count of embezzlement in the amount of $33,224 and one count of false entries in union records, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c) and 439(c), respectively. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Boston-Buffalo District Office.
On October 25, 2019, in the 78th District Court of Wichita County, Texas, Terri Rae Coan (Merritt), former office manager for Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA) Local 1168 (located in Wichita Falls, Tex.), pleaded guilty to misapplication of fiduciary property with a value between $30,000 or more but less than $150,000, in violation of Texas Penal Code 32.45. Coan was then sentenced to 10 years of probation and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $42,636. The plea and sentencing follow an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
On October 24, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, Tommy Nou, former Financial Secretary Treasurer of Transportation Communications Union/International Association of Machinists (TCU/IAM) Lodge 6602 (located in San Pedro, Calif.), pleaded guilty to failure to disclose a material fact, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(b). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office.
On October 24, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, Deloistine Williams, former Secretary-Treasurer of United Steelworkers Local 929 (located in West Helena, Ark.), was sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $13,205. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
On October 23, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, James Young, former President of American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 4973 (located in Philadelphia, Pa.), pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement of union funds totaling $7,050, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia-Pittsburgh District Office.
On October 22, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Jeffery Pietrzyk, former senior official in the General Motors Department of the United Auto Workers International Union (UAW), located in Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud (18 U.S.C. 1349) and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering (18 U.S.C. 1956(h)). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations.
On October 22, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, Spartanburg Division, Dana Roush, former President of American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Local 403 (located in Spartanburg, S.C.), pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement of union funds totaling $10,089, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Atlanta-Nashville District Office.
On October 18, 2019, in the 30th District Court of Wichita County, Texas, Orville Lynn Merritt, former business manager for Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA) Local 1168 (located in Wichita Falls, Tex.), pled guilty to misapplication of fiduciary property with a value between $30,000 or more but less than $150,000, in violation of Texas Penal Code 32.45. Merritt was sentenced to three years in prison and ordered to pay $279 in court costs. The plea and sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
On October 16, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, James Moylan, Executive Director of Neighborhoods for Fair Taxes, a non-profit that received donations from International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 98 (located in Philadelphia, Pa.), pleaded guilty to 17 counts of wire fraud (18 U.S.C. 1343) and four counts of filing false federal income tax returns (26 U.S.C. 7206(01)). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia-Pittsburgh District Office, the Employee Benefits Security Administration, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.
On October 11, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of Maine, Jeffrey Phillips, former Financial Secretary-Treasurer of International Association of Machinists Local 836 (located at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine), was indicted on one count of theft from a special maritime or territorial jurisdiction in excess of $1,000, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 661. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Boston-Buffalo District Office.
On October 10, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire, Dennis Robertson, former business manager for Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA) Local 668 (located in Hooksett, N.H.), was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to pay $37,897 in restitution. On June 25, 2019, Robertson pleaded guilty to embezzling union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Boston-Buffalo District Office.
On October 10, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Shannon Pemberton, former Treasurer of Painters Local 238 (located in Cincinnati, Ohio), was charged in a two-count indictment for embezzling $6,403 in union funds and filing a false report, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c) and 439(b), respectively. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati-Cleveland District Office.
On October 4, 2019,in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Tony J. Liesenfeld, former Secretary-Treasurer and President of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 148 (located in Lewisburg, Pa.), pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in the amount of at least $77,716, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia-Pittsburgh District Office.
On October 2, 2019, in the 78th District Court of Wichita County, Terri Rae Coan (Merritt), former office manager for Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA) Local 1168 (located in Wichita Falls, Tex.), was indicted for misapplication of fiduciary property with a value between $30,000 or more but less than $150,000, in violation of Texas Penal Code 32.45. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
On October 1, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, James Young, former President of American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 4973 (located in Philadelphia, Pa.), was charged in a one-count information with embezzlement of union funds totaling $7,050, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia- Pittsburgh District Office.
On September 27, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, Gregg Pedersen, former President of Association of Civilian Technicians(ACT) Local 75 (located in Sioux City, Iowa), pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in the amount of $6,320, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver-St. Louis District Office.
On September 20, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Jeffery Pietrzyk, former senior official in the General Motors Department of the United Auto Workers (UAW), located in Detroit, Mich., was charged in an information with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud (18 U.S.C. 1349) and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering (18 U.S.C. 1956(h)), totaling approximately $123,000. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations.
On September 19, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii, Lee Ann Miyamura, former executive secretary for International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1260 (located in Honolulu, Hawaii), pleaded guilty one count of conspiracy to make and cause to be made false entries in records required to be kept by a labor union, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Honolulu Resident Investigator Office, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, and the State of Hawaii Attorney General’s Office.
On September 17, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, Mark Douglas, former President of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1101 (located in Arabi, La.), pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement in the amount of $6,280, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
On September 17, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, Travis Cofer, former Secretary Treasurer of Steelworkers Local 990 (located in Maryville, Tenn.), was indicted on one count of embezzlement totaling $12,432, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Atlanta-Nashville District Office.
On September 17, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, Theodore E. Watson, former business manager for Insulators Local 74 (located in Des Moines, Iowa), was sentenced to 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised probation. Watson was also ordered to pay restitution of $125,443. On April 15, 2019, Watson pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement and one count of mail fraud, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c) and 18 U.S.C. 1341, respectively. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver-St. Louis District Office.
On September 13, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Tony J. Liesenfeld, former President and Secretary-Treasurer of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 148 (located in Lewisburg, Pa.), was charged in a one-count information with wire fraud in the amount of at least $77,716, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia-Pittsburgh District Office.
On September 12, 2019, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Suffolk County Superior Court, Juan Evereteze, former President of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 3258 (located in Boston, Mass.), admitted to sufficient facts and was sentenced on three counts of larceny over $250 by single scheme, in violation of Massachusetts G.L. 266 § 30. Evereteze was then sentenced to four years of probation under a continuance without a finding, with the first year of probation being supervised. He was ordered to pay $38,000 in restitution. The plea and agreement follow an investigation by the OLMS Boston-Buffalo District Office.
On September 12, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, Audonus Duplessis, former President of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 2463 (located in Washington, D.C.), pleaded guilty to one count of interstate transportation of stolen property for transporting $11,300 of stolen union funds from Washington, D.C. to Virginia to purchase a Dodge Charger for his personal use, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 2314. The total embezzlement by Duplessis was more than $80,000. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
On September 10, 2019, in the Dunn County, Wisconsin Circuit Court, Jennifer Conway, former Vice President of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 727D (located in Menomonie, Wisc.), pleaded guilty to one count of misdemeanor disorderly conduct, in violation of Wisconsin State Statutes 947.01(01). She was then ordered to pay court costs of $458. Conway previously paid full restitution of $250. The plea and sentencing follow an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office.
On September 10, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, Annette Jones, former President of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 331 (located in Perry Point, Md.), was sentenced to two years in prison followed by three years of supervised probation. Jones was also ordered to pay restitution of $82,180. On May 7, 2019, Jones pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1344. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
On September 6, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), Frank Cognetta, former Secretary-Treasurer of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1-D (located in Brooklyn, N.Y.), was sentenced to two years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. On March 11, 2019, Cognetta pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1962(d). The sentencing follows a joint investigation by the OLMS New York District Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office SDNY, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New York City Police Department, and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
On September 6, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii, Michael Brittain, former assistant business manager for International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1260 (located in Honolulu, Hawaii), pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to make and cause to be made false entries in records required to be kept by a labor union, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Honolulu Resident Investigator Office, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, and the State of Hawaii Attorney General’s Office.
On September 4, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Michael Grimes, former senior official in the General Motors Department of the United Auto Workers International Union (UAW), located in Detroit, Mich., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud (18 U.S.C. 1349) and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering (18 U.S.C. 1956(h)). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations.
On September 4, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, Eric Childress, former Secretary-Treasurer of Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 2276 (located in Bluefield, W.Va.), was indicted on one count of embezzlement of union funds totaling $2,619, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia-Pittsburgh District Office.
On September 4, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii, Daniel Rose, business representative for International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1260 (located in Honolulu, Hawaii), pleaded guilty one count of conspiracy to make and cause to be made false entries in records required to be kept by a labor union, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Honolulu Resident Investigator Office, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, and the State of Hawaii Attorney General’s Office.
On September 3, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii, Russell Yamanoha, former communications director for International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1260 (located in Honolulu, Hawaii), pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to make and cause to be made false entries in records required to be kept by a labor union, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Honolulu Resident Investigator Office, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, and the State of Hawaii Attorney General’s Office.
On September 3, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, Stephen Perez, former Treasurer of Steelworkers Local 402 (located in Grand Rapids, Mich.), pleaded guilty to one count of embezzling approximately $14,408 in union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office.
On August 30, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, Ivar Carlson, former Business Agent/Treasurer of Stage and Picture Operators Local 935-B (located in Worcester, Mass.), was sentenced to one year of probation and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $9,786. The Court further ordered forfeiture in the amount of $16,151. Carlson previously paid $6,775 in restitution. On March 26, 2019, Carlson pleaded guilty to one count of embezzling $37,014 in union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Boston-Buffalo District Office.
On August 29, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi, Danny Woodcock, former President of the International Union of Electronic, Electrical, Salaried, Machine and Furniture Workers – Communications Workers of America (IUE-CWA) Local 83770 (located in Columbus, Miss.), was sentenced to 46 months in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons, to be followed by three years supervised release. Woodcock was also ordered to pay $519,963 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. He was taken into the immediate custody of the United States Marshals Service. On August 17, 2018, Woodcock pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement of union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
On August 28, 2019, in the Marion County, Indiana Superior Court, Eleanor Harvey, former Secretary-Treasurer of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 3826 (located in Indianapolis, Ind.), was charged in a two-count indictment for theft of union funds with a value between $750 and $50,000, in violation of Indiana Code 35-43-4-2. The indictment follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati-Cleveland District Office and the Grand Jury Investigations Division of the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office.
On August 23, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, Gregg Pedersen, former President of Association of Civilian Technicians (ACT) Local 75 (located in Sioux City, Iowa), was charged in an information with defrauding the union through wire fraud in the amount of $6,320, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver-St. Louis District Office.
On August 23, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona, Mitchell Sharp, former organizer for Laborers DC Southwest Indian Health Services (located in Phoenix, Ariz.), was charged and pleaded guilty to a one-count information with theft within Indian country, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 661 & 1153. Sharp used the union’s credit card to charge personal expenses in excess of $1,000. The charge and guilty plea follow an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office.
On August 23, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii, Michael Brittain, former assistant business manager for International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1260 (located in Honolulu, Hawaii), was charged in an information with one count of conspiracy to make and cause to be made false entries in records required to be kept by a labor union, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371 and 29 U.S.C. 439(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Honolulu Resident Investigator Office, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, and the State of Hawaii Attorney General’s Office.
On August 23, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii, Daniel Rose, current business representative for International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1260 (located in Honolulu, Hawaii), was charged in an information with one count of conspiracy to make and cause to be made false entries in records required to be kept by a labor union, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371 and 29 U.S.C. 439(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Honolulu Resident Investigator Office, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, and the State of Hawaii Attorney General’s Office.
On August 23, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii, Lee Ann Miyamura, former executive secretary for International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1260 (located in Honolulu, Hawaii), was charged in an information with one count of conspiracy to make and cause to be made false entries in records required to be kept by a labor union, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371 and 29 U.S.C. 439(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Honolulu Resident Investigator Office, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, and the State of Hawaii Attorney General’s Office.
On August 23, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii, Russell Yamanoha, former communications director for International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1260 (located in Honolulu, Hawaii), was charged in an information with one count of conspiracy to make and cause to be made false entries in records required to be kept by a labor union, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371 and 29 U.S.C. 439(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Honolulu Resident Investigator Office, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, and the State of Hawaii Attorney General’s Office.
On August 23, 2019, in the 36th District Court for the State of Michigan, Esper Alexander, former President of Security, Police and Fire Professionals of America (SPFPA) Local 1111 (located in Detroit, Mich.), was sentenced to six months of probation and three days of community service. Alexander was also ordered to pay restitution of $500 and to have no contact with SPFPA 1111. On July 19, 2019, Alexander pleaded guilty to one count of larceny by conversion of $200 or more, but less than $1,000. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office.
On August 22, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii, Brian Ahakuelo, former Business Manager/Financial Secretary of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1260 (located in Honolulu, Hawaii), was indicted for conspiracy (1 count), wire fraud (42 counts), money laundering (20 counts), and embezzlement of union funds (6 counts), in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371, 1343, and 1957, and 29 U.S.C. 501(c), respectively. Ahakuelo engaged in a conspiracy to divert union funds and property by hiring family members at inflated salaries (some of whom did little or no actual work for the union) and authorized the use of union funds for personal travel, a vehicle, and dining expenditures. After largely depleting the union’s coffers, Ahakuelo, with the help of his wife, Marilyn; his sister-in-law, Jennifer Estencion; and other union employees, rigged a vote to increase membership dues. The false election caused members to pay an additional $3.7 million in dues over about 18 months. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Honolulu Resident Investigator Office, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, and the State of Hawaii Attorney General’s Office.
On August 22, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii, Marilyn Ahakuelo, former community services director for International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1260 (located in Honolulu, Hawaii), was indicted for conspiracy (1 count), wire fraud (42 counts), and embezzlement of union funds (3 counts), in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371 & 1343, and 29 U.S.C. 501(c), respectively. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Honolulu Resident Investigator Office, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, and the State of Hawaii Attorney General’s Office.
On August 22, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii, Jennifer Estencion, former executive assistant for International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1260 (located in Honolulu, Hawaii), was indicted for conspiracy (1 count) and wire fraud (42 counts), in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371 and 1343, respectively. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Honolulu Resident Investigator Office, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, and the State of Hawaii Attorney General’s Office.
On August 22, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, Ken Morris, former Secretary-Treasurer of Teachers Local 2240 (located in San Francisco, Calif.) was charged with five counts of bank fraud totaling $12,890 and three counts of embezzlement from a labor organization totaling $18,721, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1344(2) and 29 U.S.C. 501(c), respectively. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS San Francisco – Seattle District Office.
On August 21, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Wanda Coleman-Gordon, former Secretary-Treasurer of American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Local 1477 and the Texas Postal Workers Union (both located in Tyler, Tex.), was charged in a one-count indictment for embezzling $71,064 in union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). This indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
On August 20, 2019, in Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Maryland, Betty Robinson, former President of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 2751 (located in Baltimore, Md.), was sentenced to five years in prison (all suspended) and five years of probation. She was also ordered to pay the remaining restitution of $26,400. Robinson previously paid $3,700 in restitution. On December 14, 2016, Robinson pleaded guilty to one count of theft between $10,000 and $100,000, in violation of Section 7-104 of the Maryland Criminal Law Code. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
On August 20, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, Kelly Carter, former President of National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 560 (located in Benton Harbor, Mich.), pleaded guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $9,031, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The guilty plea follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office and the United States Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General.
On August 20, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, Deloistine Williams, former Secretary-Treasurer of United Steelworkers Local 929 (located in West Helena, Ark.), was charged in a one-count information for making a false entry in a record required to be kept, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
On August 15, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Earl Roberts, former President of United Steel Workers (USW) Local 4 (located in Yale, Mich.), was charged in a three-count information with the embezzlement of union funds in the amount of $53,697, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office.
On August 14, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii, Rodney Capello, former business manager for Laborers Local 722 – Hawaii Electrical Workers (located in Honolulu, Hawaii), pleaded guilty to one count of embezzling union funds totaling $184,771, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Honolulu Resident Office.
On August 9, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), Vincent D’Acunto, former Secretary-Treasurer of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 2D (located in Brooklyn, N.Y.), was sentenced to 10 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. On March 18, 2019, D’Acunto pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1962(d). The sentencing follows a joint investigation by the OLMS New York District Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office SDNY, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New York City Police Department, and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
On August 9, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Michael Grimes, former senior official in the General Motors Department of the United Auto Workers International Union (UAW), located in Detroit, Mich., was charged in an information with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud (18 U.S.C. 1349) and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering (18 U.S.C. 1956(h)), totaling over $1.5 million. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations.
On August 8, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey (Camden), Robert Peter, former Secretary/Treasurer of American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Local 526 (located in Blackwood, N.J.), was charged in an information with one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $34,500, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). On the same date, Peter pleaded guilty to the charge. The charge and guilty plea follow an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia-Pittsburgh District Office.
On August 7, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut, Thomas Popillo, former President of Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 81266 (located in Newington, Conn.), was charged with a one-count information with embezzling union funds in the amount of $37,568, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). He then pleaded guilty to the charge. The charge and guilty plea follow an investigation by the OLMS Boston-Buffalo District Office.
On August 7, 2019, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, Christy Little Coppin, former office secretary for American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 2250 (located in Muskogee, Okla.), was sentenced to five years of probation. She was also ordered to pay $52,738 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. On February 14, 2019, Coppin pleaded guilty to one count of theft within a special maritime and territorial jurisdiction, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 661. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
On August 5, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Norwood Jewell, former United Auto Workers (UAW) International Vice President of the UAW Chrysler Department and former director of the UAW-Chrysler National Training Center (NTC) from 2014 through 2016 (both located in Detroit, Mich.), was sentenced to 15 months in prison, 12 months of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment. On April 2, 2019, Jewell pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Labor Management Relations Act, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371, for receiving money and things of value from persons acting in the interest of FCA and/or approved UAW officials to use their NTC credit cards to make over $40,000 in purchases for himself, senior UAW officials, and other UAW members that were delivered through and concealed by the NTC. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Internal Revenue Service.
On August 2, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Eastern Division, Steven Kristopher Perry, former Financial Secretary-Treasurer of United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America Local 2077 (located in Columbus, Ohio), was sentenced to three years supervised release to include 180 days of home confinement. He was also ordered to pay $26,185 in restitution and a special assessment of $100. On January 3, 2019, Perry pleaded guilty to one count of embezzling union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati-Cleveland District Office.
On August 1, 2019, in Wichita County, Texas, Orville Lynn Merritt, former business manager for Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA) Local 1168 (located in Wichita Falls, Tex.), was indicted for misapplication of fiduciary property with a value between $30,00 or more but less than $150,000, in violation of Texas Penal Code 32.45. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
On July 31, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas, Asenath Roland, former President of the Kansas Postal Workers Union (located in Wichita, Kans.), was indicted on one count of embezzlement of union funds totaling $4,740, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Kansas City Resident Office.
On July 30, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, John T. Coli Sr., former Secretary Treasurer of Teamsters Local 727 (located in Park Ridge, Ill.), pleaded guilty to one count of receiving a prohibited payment as a union officer, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 186(b)(1) and 186(d)(2), and one count of making a false income tax return, in violation of 26 U.S.C. 7206. The guilty plea follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Chicago District Office, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the FBI, and the IRS.
On July 22, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, John Matassa Jr., former Secretary-Treasurer of Amalgamated Workers Union Independent Local 711 (located in Mount Prospect, Ill.), was sentenced to six months in prison and 12 months of supervised release, of which six months will be home confinement. Matassa was also ordered to pay $33,513 in restitution to Local 711, $22,948 in restitution to the Social Security Administration (SSA), and a $100 assessment. He previously paid $52,160 in restitution to the SSA. On February 26, 2019, Matassa pleaded guilty to one count of embezzling union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Chicago District Office, Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, and the SSA’s Office of Inspector General.
On July 22, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Rhondalyn Cornett, former President of the Indianapolis Education Association (located in Indianapolis, Ind.), was charged in a one-count information of wire fraud in a scheme to embezzle more than $100,000, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343. She then pleaded guilty to the charge. The charge and guilty plea follow a joint investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati-Cleveland District Office, the USDOL OIG, the FBI and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police.
On July 19, 2019,in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), Vincent Esposito was sentenced to two years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $20,000 fine and $3,816,865 in forfeiture. On April 10, 2019, Esposito pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1962. Frank Cognetta, former Secretary-Treasurer of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1D (located in Brooklyn, N.Y.), and Vincent D’Acunto, Jr., former Secretary-Treasurer of UFCW Local 2D (located in Brooklyn, N.Y.), were also charged in the same indictment as Esposito, previously pleaded guilty, and are awaiting sentencing. The sentencing follows a joint investigation by the OLMS New York District Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office SDNY, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New York City Police Department, and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
On July 19, 2019, in the Wayne County, 36th District Court for the State of Michigan, Esper Alexander, former President of Security, Police and Fire Professionals of America (SPFPA) Local 1111 (located in Detroit, Mich.), pleaded guilty to one count of larceny by conversion of $200 or more, but less than $1,000. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office.
On July 18, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, John Sammons, former President of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 1872 (located in Shaw AFB, S.C.), was indicted on five counts of mail fraud and one count of theft within a special maritime and territorial jurisdiction, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1341 and 661, respectively. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Atlanta-Nashville District Office.
On July 15, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii, Rodney Capello, former business manager of Laborers Local 722 – Hawaii Electrical Workers (located in Honolulu, HI), was charged in a one-count information with embezzlement of union funds totaling $184,771, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Honolulu Resident Office.
On July 12, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Alexandria Division, Howard Janoske, the co-owner of a HVAC and plumbing company in Maryland, was sentenced to six months of home confinement and two years of supervised probation. He was also ordered to pay restitution of $23,367 and a fine of $25,000. An asset forfeiture order for $92,432 was also issued. On March 1, 2019, Janoske pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and embezzle union funds for conspiring with, among others, an employee of an international union located in Herndon, Virginia, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
On June 25, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Salvatore Tagliaferro, President of Carpenters Local 926 (located in Brooklyn, N.Y.) and a New York City District Council of Carpenters Representative, and John DeFalco, Vice-President of Carpenters Local 157 (located in New York, N.Y.), were indicted on multiple charges for an alleged scheme to sell union “books” or membership cards (union property) for cash bribes. Both were charged with embezzlement of union assets and aiding and abetting an embezzlement (29 U.S.C. 501c and 18 U.S.C. 2), conspiracy (18 U.S.C. 371), as well as honest services wire fraud (18 U.S.C. 1346 and 1343). DeFalco was also charged with obstruction of justice (18 U.S.C. (b)(1)) and witness tampering (18 U.S.C. 1512 (b)(2)(A)). The charges follow a joint investigation by the OLMS New York District Office, the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, the Department of Labor’s Office of the Inspector General, and the New York City Department of Investigation.
On June 19, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, Kelly Carter, former President of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 560 (located in Benton Harbor, Mich.), was charged in a one-count indictment for embezzling $7,130 in union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The indictment follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office and the United States Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General.
On June 12, 2019, in Dunn County, Wisconsin Circuit Court, Jennifer Conway, former Vice President of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 727D (located in Menomonie, Wisc.), was charged with one count of misdemeanor theft of $250, in violation of Wisconsin State Statutes 943.20(1)(b) and (3)(a), 939.51(3)(a), and 939.05. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office.
On June 12, 2019, in Dunn County, Wisconsin Circuit Court, Linda Woodford (Harshman), former President of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 727D (located in Menomonie, Wisc.), was charged with one count of felony theft of approximately $4,065, in violation of Wisconsin State Statutes 943.20(1)(b) and (3)(bf), 939.50(3)(i), and 939.05. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office.
On June 11, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, Tatia Clark, former Financial Secretary of United Steelworkers (USW) Local 2801 (located in Long Beach, Calif.), pleaded guilty to one count of withholding and destruction of labor records, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(c). Clark was then sentenced to two years of probation and ordered to pay a $25 special assessment. The guilty plea and sentencing follow an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office.
On June 10, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Bud G. Sherwood, former Secretary Treasurer of Transportation Communication Union/International Association of Machinists (TCU/IAM) Lodge 6546 (located in Bellevue, Ohio), pleaded guilty to one-count of theft of union funds of approximately $10,813, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati-Cleveland District Office.
On June 5, 2019, in the Marion County, Indiana Superior Court, Charlotte F. McDaniel, former Secretary-Treasurer of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 3826 (located in Indianapolis, Ind.), pleaded guilty to one count of theft of union funds with a value between $750 and $50,000, in violation of Indiana Code 35-43-4-2. She was then sentenced to 365 days of confinement (363 days suspended with one day of credit) and 363 days of probation. She was also ordered to pay restitution of $4,082. The plea and sentencing follow an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati-Cleveland District Office.
On June 4, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, Jonathan Ortino, former President of National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) Chapter 165 (located in San Francisco, Calif.), was charged in a six-count superseding indictment. The superseding indictment added three counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343. Each of the three counts pertain to Ortino making an unauthorized electronic fund transfer from the union’s account to his personal account, totaling $4,500. On March 26, 2019, Ortino was initially charged in a three-count indictment with making false entries with respect to the filing of the union’s LM-3 Report for fiscal years 2014, 2015, and 2016, all in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1001(a)(2) & 2 (False Statements to a Government Agency). The superseding indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS San Francisco-Seattle District Office.
On June 3, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, Joan Dutton, former President of United Steel Workers (USW) Local 2801 (located in Long Beach, Calif.), pleaded guilty to one count of withholding and destruction of labor records, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(c). She was then sentenced to two years of probation and ordered to pay a $500 fine and $25 special assessment. The guilty plea and sentencing follow an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office.
On May 31, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), Steven Arena pleaded guilty to an information charging him with extortion of a labor union official and a financial advisor, ranging from 2006 to 2017, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1951 (a). Arena was previously indicted on January 9, 2018 and charged with racketeering conspiracy and extortion conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1962 and 1951. Frank Cognetta, former Secretary-Treasurer of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1D (located in Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Vincent D’Acunto, Jr., former Secretary-Treasurer of UFCW Local 2D (located in Brooklyn, N.Y.), were also charged in the same indictment as Arena and have previously pleaded guilty. The guilty plea follows a joint investigation by the OLMS New York District Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office SDNY, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New York City Police Department, and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
On May 31, 2019, in Circuit Court for Baltimore County, Maryland, John Scarcella, former Secretary-Treasurer of Association of Civilian Technicians Local 125 (located in Middle River, Md.), was charged with one count of theft of more than $10,000, but less than $100,000, in violation of Section 7-104 of the Maryland Criminal Code. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office and the Baltimore County Police Department.
On May 29, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire, Dennis Robertson, former business manager of Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA) Local 668 (located in Hooksett, N.H.), was charged in a one-count information with embezzlement of labor union assets, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Boston-Buffalo District Office.
On May 20, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, George Peltz, owner and operator of MJK Electric, an employer for members of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 98 (located in Philadelphia, Pa.), was sentenced to 18 months of incarceration and two years of probation. Peltz previously made restitution of $958,000 and was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine. On January 28, 2019, Peltz pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion (26 U.S.C. 7201), one count of failing to pay over payroll taxes (26 U.S.C. 7202), one count of theft from an employee benefit plan (18 U.S.C. 664), and one count of unlawful payments to a union official (29 U.S.C. 186(a)(b) & (d)(2)). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia-Pittsburgh Office, the Employee Benefits Security Administration, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.
On May 17, 2019, in Kaufman County, Texas, Claudia E. Beltran, former office assistant for United Association of Plumbers Local 100 (located in Garland, Tex.), was indicted for misapplication of fiduciary property with a value between $2,500 and $30,000, in violation of Texas Penal Code 32.45. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
On May 17, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, Caroline Kelly Phelps, former office secretary of International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 369 (located in Cordova, Tenn.), was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to pay restitution totaling $36,823 and a $100 special assessment. On February 7, 2019, Phelps pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follow an investigation by the OLMS Atlanta-Nashville District Office.
On May 16, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Alexandria Division, a criminal information was filed charging Michael Carney, former facilities and real estate manager for an international labor organization (located in Herndon, Va.), with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and embezzle union funds (18 U.S.C. 371) for conspiring with, among others, the owner of a contracting company. The information charges that the contracting company provided the subject with tens of thousands of dollars in kickbacks including a high-end outdoor kitchen and free HVAC and plumbing services for Carney and a relative in exchange for the awarding of the union’s service agreements and maintenance contracts. With Carney’s knowledge, the contracting company submitted inflated and fraudulent invoices to the union to recoup the expenses for the personal benefits. Carney also pleaded guilty to the charge on this date. The charge and guilty plea follow an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
On May 14, 2019, in the Travis County Court at Law #3, Andrea Lashaka Berry, former President of the National Employees Treasury Union (NTEU) Chapter 72 (located in Austin, Tex.), was charged with one count theft and one count of misapplication of fiduciary property in the amount greater than $750 and less than $2,500, in violation of Texas Statute §31.01 and §32.45. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
On May 7, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, Annette Jones, former Secretary-Treasurer of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 331 (located in Perry Point, Md.), pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud (18 U.S.C. 1344) for embezzling $82,180 from the union by writing checks to herself, forging the signature of other union officers on 355 checks, and making personal purchases with the union credit card. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office and the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Office of Inspector General.
On May 7, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, Robert Kurtycz, former Comptroller of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Chicago Midwest Regional Joint Board (located in Chicago, Ill.), was indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit commercial bribery, in violation of 720 ILCS 5/29A, and thereafter, did perform and attempt to perform an act of promotion, management, and carry on, and facilitation of the promotion, management, and carrying on, of the unlawful activity, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1952(a)(3), all in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371 (Conspiracy). Kurtycz was also indicted on six counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343. One count pertains to the electronic transfer of union funds for unauthorized expense reimbursements totaling $85,962. The remaining five counts of wire fraud pertain to electronic funds transfers for the purpose of executing the above conspiracy and wire fraud schemes. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Chicago District Office, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, and the Employee Benefits Security Administration.
On May 3, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Bud G. Sherwood, former Secretary Treasurer of Transportation Communication Union/International Association of Machinists (TCU-IAM) Lodge 6546 (located in Bellevue, Ohio), was charged in a one-count information with embezzlement of union funds in the amount of $10,813, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati-Cleveland District Office.
On April 23, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, Stephen Perez, former Treasurer of Steelworkers Local 402 (located in Grand Rapids, Mich.), was charged with one count of embezzling approximately $14,408 in union funds, one count of filing a false LM report, and one count of falsifying union records, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c), 439(b), and 439(c), respectively. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office.
On April 15, 2019, in United States District Court for Southern District of Iowa, Theodore E. Watson, former business manager for Insulators Local 74 (located in Des Moines, Iowa), pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement and one count of mail fraud, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c) and 18 U.S.C. 1341, respectively. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver-St. Louis District Office.
On April 11, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Edward Cranston, former Secretary-Treasurer of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART) Local 1421 TD (located in Beecher, Ill.), was sentenced to three years of probation. Cranston was also ordered to pay the remaining $9,999 of $28,084 in restitution and a $25 special assessment. On January 17, 2019, Cranston pleaded guilty to one-count of willfully filing a false LM-3 Report for fiscal year ending December 31, 2014, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(b). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Chicago District Office.
On April 11, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii, Charles Kimo Brown, former Secretary-Treasurer of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 142 Longshore Division (located in Honolulu, Hawaii), was indicted on two counts of embezzling union funds (29 U.S.C. 501(c)) and two counts of falsifying union records (29 U.S.C. 439(c)). The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Honolulu Resident Office, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On April 10, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of Oregon, John Burgess, former President of the Pacific Stainless Products Employee Association (located in St. Helens, Ore.), was sentenced to five years of supervised release and was ordered to pay restitution totaling $10,621 and a $25 assessment. On December 20, 2018, Burgess pleaded guilty to one count of concealment or destruction of labor union financial records, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS San Francisco-Seattle District Office.
On April 10, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), Vincent Esposito pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1962. Esposito admitted to participating in an illegal enterprise from 2001 through 2017. Frank Cognetta, former Secretary-Treasurer of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1D (located in Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Vincent D’Acunto, Jr., former Secretary-Treasurer of UFCW Local 2D (located in Brooklyn, N.Y.), were also charged in the same indictment as Esposito and have previously pleaded guilty. The guilty plea follows a joint investigation by the OLMS New York District Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office SDNY, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New York City Police Department, and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
On April 9, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, Mark Douglas, former President of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1101 (located in Arabi, La.), was charged with one count of embezzlement of union funds in the amount of $7,078, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
On April 9, 2019, in the Marlborough Division of the Middlesex District Court of Massachusetts, Edgar Barajas, former Financial Secretary of United Steelworkers Local 4-1702 (located in Marlborough, Mass.), admitted to sufficient facts to sustain a charge of Larceny over $250, in violation of Massachusetts General Laws chapter 266, section 30. Barajas admitted to making unauthorized cash withdrawals from the union’s checking account and making unauthorized debit-card purchases totaling $10,279. Under an agreement between the prosecutor, defense counsel, and the union, the court continued the case without a finding for one year and will dismiss the charges if Barajas makes full restitution to the union and pays all associated court fees within that time. The plea and agreement follow an investigation by the OLMS Boston-Buffalo District Office.
On April 9, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Newport News Division, Benjamin Wisecarver, former President of International Alliance of Theatrical, Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 264 (located in Hampton, Va.), was sentenced to five months in prison, five months of home confinement, and two years of probation. Wisecarver was also ordered to pay $53,704 in restitution. On December 19, 2018, Wisecarver pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and embezzle labor union assets, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
On April 2, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Norwood Jewell, former United Auto Workers (UAW) International Vice President in the UAW Chrysler Department (located in Detroit, Mich.) and Director of the UAW-Chrysler National Training Center from 2014 through 2016, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Labor Management Relations Act, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Internal Revenue Service.
On March 28, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii, Nathan Lum, former Longshore Division Director of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 142 (located in Honolulu, Hawaii), pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated identity theft (18 U.S.C. 1028A(a)(1)) and one count of failure to file income tax returns (26 U.S.C. 7203). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Honolulu Resident Office, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On March 26, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, Jonathon Ortino, former President of National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) Chapter 165 (located in San Francisco, Calif.), was charged in a three-count indictment with making false entries with respect to the filing of the union’s LM-3 Report for fiscal years 2014, 2015, and 2016, all in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1001(a)(2) & 2 (False Statements to a Government Agency). The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS San Francisco-Seattle District Office.
On March 26, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, Ivar Carlson, former Business Agent/Treasurer of International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 935-B (located in Worcester, Mass.), pleaded guilty to embezzlement in the amount of $37,014, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Boston-Buffalo District Office.
On March 18, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), Vincent D’Acunto, former Secretary-Treasurer of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 2D (located in Brooklyn, N.Y.), pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1962. The guilty plea follows a joint investigation by the OLMS New York District Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office SDNY, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New York City Police Department, and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
On March 18, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Norwood Jewell, former United Auto Workers (UAW) International Vice President in the UAW Chrysler Department and Director of the UAW-Chrysler National Training Center (NTC) from 2014 through 2016, was charged in an information with one count of conspiracy to violate the Labor Management Relations Act, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371. Jewell knowingly joined a conspiracy whereby he received money and things of value from persons acting in the interest of FCA and/or approved UAW officials to use their NTC credit cards to make over $40,000 in purchases for himself, senior UAW officials, and other UAW members, which were delivered through and concealed by the NTC, from 2014 through 2016. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations.
On March 15, 2019, in the Marion County, Indiana Superior Court, Charlotte F. McDaniel, former Secretary-Treasurer of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 3826 (located in Indianapolis, Ind.), was indicted for three counts theft of union funds with a value between $750 and $50,000, in violation of Indiana Code 35-43-4-2. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati-Cleveland District Office.
On March 11, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), Frank Cognetta, former Secretary-Treasurer of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1D (located in Brooklyn, N.Y.), pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1962. The guilty plea follows a joint investigation by the OLMS New York District Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office SDNY, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New York City Police Department, and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
On March 8, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Karen Auer, a former principal of an accounting firm, was sentenced to one year of supervised release and ordered to pay $7,194 in restitution. On August 3, 2018 Auer pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor information for filing fraudulent returns, statements or other documents, in violation of 26 U.S.C. 7207. On May 31, 2018, Auer was charged by complaint with aiding and abetting an embezzlement of union funds (18 U.S.C. 2 and 29 U.S.C. 501c), false statements in employee benefit plan records and reports (18 U.S.C. 1027), conspiracy (18 U.S.C. 371), and making a false statement (18 U.S.C. 1001). The sentencing follows a joint investigation by the OLMS New York District Office, SDNY, Employee Benefits Security Administration, and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice’s Labor-Management Racketeering Unit.
On March 7, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Mervin Hawk, former President of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 1640 (located in Detroit, Mich.), was sentenced to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Hawk was also ordered to pay $362,623 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. On November 28, 2018, Hawk pleaded guilty to one count of embezzling over $300,000 in union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On March 1, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Alexandria Division, a criminal information was filed charging Howard Janoske, the co-owner of an HVAC and plumbing company in Maryland, with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and embezzle union funds for conspiring with, among others, an employee of an international labor organization located in Herndon, VA, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371. The information charges that Janoske’s company provided the union’s facilities and real estate manager with tens of thousands of dollars in kickbacks including a high-end outdoor kitchen and free HVAC and plumbing services for the union manager and a relative in exchange for the awarding of the union’s service agreements and maintenance contracts. With the union manager’s knowledge, Janoske and his subordinates submitted inflated and fraudulent invoices to the union to recoup the expenses for the personal benefits. Janoske then pleaded guilty to the charge. The charge and guilty plea follow an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
On February 27, 2019, in the Vermilion County, Indiana Circuit Court, Darin Kingrey, former Financial Secretary of United Steelworkers Local 706 (located in Cayuga, Ind.), pleaded guilty to two counts of theft (Level 6 Felony) in the amount of $7,464, in violation of Indiana Code 35-43-4-2. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati-Cleveland District Office.
On February 26, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Salvatore Armao, the managing partner of an accounting firm, was sentenced to two years supervised release to include six months of home confinement, and ordered to pay $9,592 in restitution, $18,700 in forfeiture, and a $3,000 fine. On August 2, 2018, Armao pleaded guilty to an information for false statements in employee benefit plan records and reports, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1027. On May 31, 2018, Armao was charged by complaint with aiding and abetting an embezzlement of union funds (18 U.S.C. 2 and 29 U.S.C. 501c), false statements in employee benefit plan records and reports (18 U.S.C. 1027), and conspiracy (18 U.S.C. 371). Armao’s clients included the International Brotherhood of Trade Unions Local 122, a small independent union located in Long Island, NY, and the affiliated United Health and Welfare Fund. Rocco Fazzolari, the former President and Fund Administrator of Local 122, previously pleaded guilty to, and was sentenced for, embezzlement of union funds, embezzlement of benefit plan funds, and conspiracy to embezzle plan funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c), 18 U.S.C. 664, and 18 U.S.C. 371, respectively. Armao’s false filings concealed Fazzolari’s embezzlement. The sentencing follows a joint investigation by the OLMS New York District Office, SDNY, Employee Benefits Security Administration, and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice’s Labor-Management Racketeering Unit.
On February 26, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, John Matassa Jr., Secretary-Treasurer of Amalgamated Workers Union Independent Local 711 (located in Mount Prospect, Ill.), pleaded guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $738, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The factual basis of the plea agreement noted that Matassa received $33,513 by issuing unauthorized union checks to his wife, and as a result, received approximately $75,108 in Old-Age Insurance Benefits to which he was not entitled. The guilty plea follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Chicago District Office, Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, and the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General.
On February 25, 2019, in the United States District Court, Eastern District of North Carolina, Terry Slaughter, former Secretary-Treasurer of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1208 (located in Tar Heel, N.C.), pleaded guilty to embezzlement in the amount of $62,315, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Atlanta-Nashville District Office.
On February 25, 2019, in United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois, Urbana Division, Anthony Edmunds, former President of United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 2419 (located in Danville, Ill.), was sentenced to three years of probation, 12 months of home confinement, and he was ordered to pay restitution of $19,482 and a $100 assessment. On October 25, 2018, Edmunds pleaded guilty to embezzlement of union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Chicago District Office.
On February 21, 2019, in the United States District Court for the SouthernDistrict of New York, John Ulrich, former Vice President and Recording Secretary of Teamsters Local 812 (a union representing beverage industry workers located in Great Neck, N.Y.), was charged with offenses related to alleged bribes from a third party administrator (TPA) given in exchange for Ulrich’s use of his influence with the union and its health fund. The indictment charged Ulrich with soliciting and receiving bribe payments to influence the operation of an employee benefit plan (18 U.S.C. 1954 and 2), conspiracy to solicit and receive bribe payments to influence the operation of an employee benefit plan (18 U.S.C. 371), honest services health care fraud (18 U.S.C. 1347, 1346 and 2), and conspiracy to commit honest services health care fraud (18 U.S.C. 1349). The indictment follows a joint investigation by the OLMS New York District Office, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the Employee Benefits Security Administration, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On February 20, 2019, in Adams County, Wisconsin Circuit Court, David Dauman, former President of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 3495 (located in Oxford, Wis.), was charged with one count of felony theft of approximately $3,597, in violation of Wisconsin State Statute 943.20(1)(b)&(3)(bf). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office.
On February 14, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, Christy Little Coppin, former office secretary of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 2250 (located in Muskogee, Okla.), pleaded guilty to one count of theft within a special maritime and territorial jurisdiction, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 661. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
On February 11, 2019, in the Worcester District Court, Darius Pourfarzaneh, former Trustee of International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 935B (located in Worcester, Mass.), was charged in a one-count complaint for Larceny Over $250, in the amount of $6,870, in violation of Massachusetts G.L. c. 266, §30(1). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Boston-Buffalo District Office.
On February 8, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Newport News Division, Christopher Mulhall, former Secretary-Treasurer of International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 264 (located in Hampton, Va.), was sentenced to five months of home detention and 36 months of probation. Restitution was not ordered as another defendant previously paid the entire $57,000 in restitution. On May 29, 2018, Mulhall pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and embezzlement for taking part in an embezzlement of $57,310 from the union, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
On February 7, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, Caroline Kelly Phelps, former office secretary of International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 369 (located in Cordova, Tenn.), pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement of union funds totaling approximately $40,000, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Atlanta-Nashville District Office.
On February 6, 2019,in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, Karen Pierce, former employee of Plumbers Local 142 (located in San Antonio, Tex.), was charged in an eight-count indictment for theft of union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas New Orleans Office.
On January 31, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, Kevin Crownover, former Treasurer of International Association of Machinists (IAM) Local Lodge 2947 (located in Lemoore, Calif.), was charged with one count of embezzlement from a labor organization and one count of aggravated identity theft, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c) and 18 U.S.C. 1028A(a)(1), respectively, for an embezzlement in the amount of $50,879. The complaint follows an investigation by the OLMS San Francisco-Seattle District Office.
On January 29, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, John Dougherty, Business Manager of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 98 (located in Philadelphia, Pa.), was charged in an indictment with one count of conspiracy to embezzle from a labor union and employee benefits plan (18 U.S.C. 371), 34 counts of embezzlement of union funds (29 U.S.C. 501(c)), 23 counts of wire fraud theft from the union (18 U.S.C. 1343), two counts of wire fraud theft from political action committee (18 U.S.C. 1343), two counts of filing a false LM report (29 U.S.C. 439(b)), two counts of falsifying union records (29 U.S.C. 439(c)), five counts of filing false federal income tax returns (26 U.S.C. 7206(1)), one count of conspiracy to accept unlawful payments from an employer (18 U.S.C. 371), eight counts of accepting unlawful payments from an employer (29 U.S.C. 186(a)(2),(b)(1) & (d)(2)), one count of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and federal program bribery (18 U.S.C. 371), 11 counts of honest services wire fraud (18 U.S.C. 1343, 1346), and one count of honest services mail fraud (18 U.S.C. 1341, 1346). The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia-Pittsburgh District Office, the Employee Benefits Security Administration, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.
On January 29, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Brian Burrows, President of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 98 (located in Philadelphia, Pa.), was charged in an indictment with one count of conspiracy to embezzle from a labor union and employee benefits plan (18 U.S.C. 371), 14 counts of embezzlement of union funds (29 U.S.C. 501(c)), two counts of filing a false LM report (29 U.S.C. 439(b)), two counts of falsifying union records (29 U.S.C. 439(c)), and five counts of filing false federal income tax returns (26 U.S.C. 7206(1)). The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia-Pittsburgh District Office, the Employee Benefits Security Administration, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.
On January 29, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Michael Neill, Apprentice Training Director of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 98 (located in Philadelphia, Pa.), was charged in an indictment with one count of conspiracy to embezzle from labor union and employee benefits plan (18 U.S.C. 371), four counts of embezzlement of union funds (29 U.S.C. 501(c)), one count of theft from an employee benefit plan (18 U.S.C. 664), and four counts of filing false federal income tax returns (26 U.S.C. 7206(1)). The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia-Pittsburgh District Office, the Employee Benefits Security Administration, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.
On January 29, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Marita Crawford, Business Agent and Political Director of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 98 (located in Philadelphia, Pa.), was charged in an indictment with one count of conspiracy to embezzle from a labor union and employee benefits plan (18 U.S.C. 371), four counts of embezzlement of union funds (29 U.S.C. 501(c)), three counts of wire fraud theft from the union (18 U.S.C. 1343), two counts of wire fraud theft from political action committee (18 U.S.C. 1343), one count of filing a false LM report (29 U.S.C. 439(b)), and one count of falsifying union records (29 U.S.C. 439(c)). The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia-Pittsburgh District Office, the Employee Benefits Security Administration, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.
On January 29, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Niko Rodriguez, an employee of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 98 (located in Philadelphia, Pa.), was charged in an indictment with one count of conspiracy to embezzle from a labor union and employee benefits plan (18 U.S.C. 371), six counts of embezzlement of union funds (29 U.S.C. 501(c)), and six counts of wire fraud theft from the union (18 U.S.C. 1343). The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia-Pittsburgh District Office, the Employee Benefits Security Administration, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.
On January 29, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Brian Fiocca, an employee of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 98 (located in Philadelphia, Pa.), was charged in an indictment with one count of conspiracy to embezzle from labor union and employee benefits plan (18 U.S.C. 371), five counts of embezzlement of union funds (29 U.S.C. 501(c)), and five counts of wire fraud theft from the union (18 U.S.C. 1343). The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia-Pittsburgh District Office, the Employee Benefits Security Administration, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.
On January 29, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Anthony Massa, an employer for members of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 98 (located in Philadelphia, Pa.), was charged in an indictment with one count of conspiracy to embezzle from a labor union and employee benefits plan (18 U.S.C. 371), 14 counts of embezzlement of union funds (29 U.S.C. 501(c)), one count of theft from employee pension fund (18 U.S.C. 664), and one count of making false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (18 U.S.C. 1001). The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia-Pittsburgh District Office, the Employee Benefits Security Administration, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.
On January 29, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Robert Henon, an employee of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 98 (located in Philadelphia, Pa.) and a Philadelphia City Councilman, was charged in an indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and federal program bribery (18 U.S.C. 371), 14 counts of honest services wire fraud (18 U.S.C. 1343, 1346), one count of honest services mail fraud (18 U.S.C. 1341, 1346), three counts of accepting federal program bribery (18 U.S.C. 666(a)(1)(B)), and one count of soliciting federal program bribery (18 U.S.C. 666(a)(1)(B)). The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia-Pittsburgh District Office, the Employee Benefits Security Administration, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.
On January 29, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, James Moylan, Executive Director of Neighborhoods for Fair Taxes, a non-profit that received donations from International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 98 (located in Philadelphia, Pa.), was charged in an indictment with 17 counts of wire fraud (18 U.S.C. 1343) and four counts of filing false federal income tax returns (26 U.S.C. 7206(01)). The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia-Pittsburgh District Office, the Employee Benefits Security Administration, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.
On January 28, 2019, in United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Rocco Fazzolari, former President of the International Brotherhood of Trade Unions Local 122 (an independent union located in Long Island, N.Y.), was sentenced to 37 months in prison and three years of supervised release, and he was ordered to pay $1,288,810 in restitution. On September 26, 2018, Fazzolari pleaded guilty to embezzlement of union funds, embezzlement of benefit plan funds, and conspiracy to embezzle plan funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c), 18 U.S.C. 664, and 18 U.S.C. 371, respectively. The sentencing follows a joint investigation by the OLMS New York District Office, the SDNY, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General and Employee Benefits Security Administration with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice’s Labor-Management Racketeering Unit.
On January 28, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, George Peltz, owner and operator of MJK Electric, an employer for members of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 98 (located in Philadelphia, Pa.), pleaded guilty to an information charging him with one count of tax evasion (26 U.S.C. 7201), one count of failing to pay over payroll taxes (26 U.S.C. 7202), one count of theft from an employee benefit plan (18 U.S.C. 664), and one count of unlawful payments to a union official (29 U.S.C. 186(a)(b) & (d)(2)). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia-Pittsburgh District Office, the Employee Benefits Security Administration, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.
On January 22, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, George Peltz, owner and operator of MJK Electric, an employer for members of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 98 (located in Philadelphia, Pa.), was charged in an information with one count of tax evasion (26 U.S.C. 7201), one count of failing to pay over payroll taxes (26 U.S.C. 7202), one count of theft from an employee benefit plan (18 U.S.C. 664), and one count of unlawful payments to a union official (29 U.S.C. 186(a)(b) & (d)(2)). The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia-Pittsburgh District Office, the Employee Benefits Security Administration, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.
On January 22, 2019, in the United States District Court District of Kansas, Robert Clearwater, former President of National Association of Government Employees (NAGE) Local 14-8 (located in Topeka, Kans.), was sentenced to three years of supervised probation. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $11,781 and an assessment of $700 to be paid to the victim impact fund. On April 24, 2018, Clearwater pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States and six counts of false statements, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 661 and 1001, respectively. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver-St. Louis District Office.
On January 17, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Edward Cranston, former Secretary-Treasurer of Sheet, Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART) Local 1421 (located in Beecher, Ill.), pleaded guilty to one count of willfully filing a false LM-3 Report for fiscal year ending December 31, 2014, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(b). The factual basis of the plea agreement noted that Cranston paid himself approximately $28,220 in union funds to which he was not entitled and improperly reported some of these disbursements as an authorized salary on multiple LM-3 reports. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Chicago District Office.
On January 15, 2019, in the United States District Court, District of New Jersey (Trenton), Sergio Acosta, former President and Trustee of United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 2326 and the Local 2326 Health and Welfare Fund (located in Edison, N.J.), was sentenced to three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $32,000 in restitution for failure to remit contributions regarding union employees’ health premiums and a $100 special assessment. On April 6, 2018, Acosta pleaded guilty to a superseding information of one count of theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. Sections 664 and 2. The sentencing follows a joint investigation by the OLMS New York District Office and the Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration and Office of Inspector General.
On January 15, 2019, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, Christy Little Coppin, former office secretary for American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 2250 (located in Muskogee, Okla.), was charged in a one-count indictment for theft and embezzlement within a special maritime and territorial jurisdiction in the amount of $52,738, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 661. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
On January 3, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Eastern Division, Steven Kristopher Perry, former Financial Secretary-Treasurer of United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America Local 2077 (located in Columbus, Ohio), pleaded guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $20,458, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati-Cleveland District Office.
* An indictment is a formal accusation or charge based on a finding by a Grand Jury that it is likely that the person charged committed the criminal offense described in the indictment and is the means by which an accused person (defendant) is brought to trial. An indictment raises no inference of guilt. As in all criminal cases, each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
An information is a formal accusation of a crime by a government attorney rather than a Grand Jury. An information raises no inference of guilt. As in all criminal cases, each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
A charge is an accusation of criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. As in all criminal cases, each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Each count is a separate and distinct offense charged in an indictment or information.
A guilty plea is a defendant’s admission to the court that he or she committed the offense charged and an agreement to waive the right to a trial.
A conviction is a judgment based on a jury’s verdict, judge’s finding, or the defendant’s admission that the defendant is guilty of the crime charged.
A sentence is a judicial determination of the punishment to be imposed on an individual who has plead guilty or has been convicted by a jury or judge of a criminal offense.
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