A frmr. official of the United Bhd. of Carpenters (UBC) was indicted on Sept. 17 for allegedly embezzling nearly $30,000 from the Local union that he ran.
Geoffrey R. Barron began running Local 2471 in Pensacola, Fla., in Aug. 1997. But by agreement with the Central/N. Fla. Carpenters Regional Council, Barron received his compensation from the Council, not the Local. According to the indictment, Barron wrote checks to himself from the Local’s two checking accts., one for general funds, the other for contingency expenses. Barron also allegedly used the Local’s credit card for personal expenses unrelated to the union business for which he was entitled to use the card. From Oct. 1997 through Jan. 2001, Barron allegedly stole $29,855 from the Local’s accts, mostly derived from members’ dues payments.
Barron was indicted in the U.S. Dist. Ct., N.Dist. of Fla. on one count of embezzlement in violation of U.S.C. 29, Sec. 501(c). The indictment resulted from an investigation by the Atlanta branch of the U.S. Ofc. of Labor-Mgmt. Standards. [U.S.A.O. N.D. FL 9/17/02, DOL OLMS 10/3/02]