A fed. jury convicted Minneapolis City Council member Joseph Biernat of aiding union embezzlement on Nov. 21. In 1999, Biernat accepted $2,700 in free plumbing work, on a house he owned, from Thomas J. Martin, ex-bus. mgr. of Local 15 of the United Assn. of Plumbers and Pipefitters. Martin is scheduled to go on trial Dec. 3 for 10 related charges of stealing from the union. Biernat was also convicted of lying about whether he had received property improvements from at one other than his family. [Minneapolis Star Tribune 11/21/01]
Adminr. Sentenced for Embezzling NY Electricians’ Pensions
On Oct. 10, in the U.S. Dist. Ct. for the Southern Dist. of NY, Barbara Monfre, administrator of the Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 3, Elevator Division Retirement Plan, was sentenced to 2 yrs. imprisonment and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $314,547. She was arraigned on March 22, 2002, on charges of embezzling approximately $289,000 in benefit plan funds following a joint investigation by the NYC branch of the U.S. Ofc. of Labor-Mgmt. Standards and the U.S. Dept. of Labor’s Pension and Welfare Benefits Admin. [DOL OLMS 11/13/02]