On December 11, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia, Robert E. Martin, Jr., a former member of Steelworkers Local 9336, pled guilty to one count of harboring a fugitive, Elizabeth J. George, who was previously indicted for embezzlement from a union disaster relief fund.
As part of the plea agreement, Martin agreed to pay Local 9336 $900.71 in restitution for funds he falsely claimed for lost work time due to a plant explosion in 2000. Martin was released on bond after being incarcerated since September 9, 2002 on the harboring charge. The charges were brought following a joint investigation by the Pittsburgh branch of the U.S. Ofc. of Labor-Mgmt. Standards and the Department of Labor’s Office of the Inspector General. [DOL OLMS 12/19/02]
Ex-Fin. Secy. Charged with Embezzlement in PA Fed. Ct.
On Dec. 4, in the U.S. Dist. Ct. for the Middle Dist. of Penn., James Hubler, former financial secy. of Steelworkers Local 14375, was charged in an information with embezzling approximately $27,000 in union funds between May 15, 1998 and Feb. 1, 2001.
Hubler’s alleged embezzlement was not limited to his role in the union. He is also charged in the Columbia County Court with embezzling $33,348 from Conyngham Township and the Schuylkill School district in Sept., 2001. The fed. charge of uynion embezzlement was brought following an investigation by the Philadelphia branch of the U.S. Ofc. of Labor-Mgmt. Standards. [DOL OLMS 12/12/02, Shamokin News-Item 12/19/02]