U.S. Dist. Judge James Carr (U.S.D.C. N.D. OH, Clinton) sentenced Barbara Ryan to 15 mos. in prison on Dec. 2 for embezzling $117,734 from the union she served as secy./treasurer from 1992-2000. She was also sentenced for using her job in the payroll dept. of the BP Chemicals plant in Lima to steal $33,578. Ryan’s attny. claimed that she has repaid all of the funds she embezzled from Local 626 of the Allied Industrial, Chem. & Energy Workers union (PACE), and BP Chemicals. [Lima News 12/3/02]
NYC Developer Sentenced for Obstruction in $10 Million Fraud Probe
On Nov. 22, Edward Carroll, a prominent figure in construction development in New York City and the vice pres. of 2 BW Development, was sentenced in U.S. Dist. Ct. for the E. Dist. of NY for obstruction of justice. The charges were filed in connection with Carroll’s appearance before a federal grand jury on Dec. 11, 2001 and Jan. 8, 2002, where he provided false information to the grand jury.
Carroll was sentenced to five months in jail, five months home detention, and ordered to pay a $150.00 fine. Carroll also lost his architecture license as a result of the conviction. The investigation is in connection with the $10 million fraud case arising out of the renovation of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s new headquarters. For a full record of the crimes charged in the Apr. 16 indictment, see http:www.nlpc.org/olap/UCU3/05_09_01.htm .
Individuals affiliated with Elevator Constructors Local One and Operating Engineers Local 14 were part of the indictment filed on April 16, 2002. The charges were brought following a joint investigation by the FBI and the NY branch of the U.S. Ofc. of Labor-Mgmt. Standards. [DOL OLMS 12/4/02]
Des Moines Contractor & Ofc. Secy. Indicted as Accomplices in Embezzlement
A construction company owner and union secy. were indicted Nov. 19 on charges that they conspired with a union president to embezzle funds from a Des Moines Laborers union.
On July 25, Fred T. Risius, president of Local 177 of the Laborers Intl. Union of N. Amer., pled guilty to stealing over $100,000 from the union. Contractor Clyde Starkey and Local 177 ofc. secy. Joleen Coughlon were indicted for aiding Risius in part of his thefts. From Dec. 7, 1999, until July 5, 2001, Risius wrote $29,280 in checks from the union’s Bldg. Maintenance Fund to Starkey’s company, which Starkey allegedly cashed, then kept 40% while kicking back the rest to Risius. From Feb. 17 until July 13, 2000, Coughlon allegedly used her position to embezzle $6,445. She also allegedly received a laptop computer and digital camera worth $2,605 from Risius courtesy of the Bldg. Maintenance Fund.
Starkey and Coughlon were both indicted for conspiracy to embezzle union funds in violation of 29 U.S.C. Sec. 501(c). Coughlon was indicted on five separate counts of embezzlement, and one count of falsifying union records to conceal her embezzlement, in violation of 29 U.S.C., Sec. 439(c). They were indicted in the U.S. Dist. Ct. for Southern Iowa. [U.S.A.O. S.D. IA 11/19/02]