“[Walter Browne] lived, breathed and bled the union.” — Defense lawyer Theresa Van Vliet
“The only thing I agree with is he bled the union. He bled it dry.” — Asst. U.S. Attny. Lawrence LaVecchio. [Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, 6/2/04]
Ex-DC 37 Bookkeeper Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement
Lloyd Clarke pled guilty in June 2 to embezzling more than $2.4 million from a NYC local affiliated with Dist. Council 37 of the Amer. Fdtn. of State, County & Municipal Employees. Clarke pled guilty to 1st-degree grand larceny before State Sup. Ct. Judge Gregory Carro, who will sentence him on Sept. 22. Depending on how much he repays, Judge Carro could sentence Clarke to anywhere from 1 to 9 yrs. in prison.
Clarke was the bookkeeper for 20 yrs. with the Civil Service Technical Guild, Local 375. Between July 1996 and Dec. 1997, Clarke stole $644,000 from the union and its Professional Employees’ Legal Service, which provides legal help for union members. After that period until May 2003, Clarke stole $1.8 million more from the legal fund.
Manhattan D.A, Robert Morgenthau said, when Clarke was charged last Dec., that he was the 30th officer and associate of D.C. 37 prosecuted in the last 5 yrs. [Newsday, 6/3/04]