Federal prosecutors estimate that Walter Browne, once head of the Natl. Fedtn. of Public and Private Employees (NFPPE), and his sister made $592,954 as a result of their racketeering. According to Asst. U.S. Attny. Lawrence LaVecchio, that figure is a “conservative” estimate, which he is asking a fed. ct. judge to declare forfeit. Browne took in more than $468,000 in so-called “consulting contracts” with employers, in exchange for Browne keeping his union away from them. His sister, Patricia Devaney, embezzled $116,000 from the union’s payroll. Both were also found guilty on June 2 of padding their union expense accts. [Sun-Sentinel, 7/8/04]
Ex-President Sentenced in Ky. Fed. Court
On July 7, U.S. Dist. Judge Jennifer B. Coffman (W.D. KY, Clinton) sentenced Timothy Aldridge to 33 mos. in prison, and ordered him to repay the $112,525 he stole from the union he once headed. According to his plea agreement, Aldridge was pres. of Local 1 of the United Steel Wrkrs. in Mubea, Ky. beginning in Jan. 2000. Aldridge was paid $200 a month for the part-time position.
In the plea agreement, Aldridge admitted that he stole the union funds by writing union checks to himself. On some of the memo lines, Aldridge claimed that the checks were being spent on leased vehicles, union jackets, investments, computers and a Christmas party. But acc. to the plea agreement, “the union didn’t have any of these items or events during the relevant time period.” After leaving ofc. in 2002, Aldridge withheld the union’s financial records from its new officers. Aldridge’s accomplice was the union’s treasurer, Paula Burns, who embezzled $40,239. She is deceased, and thus was not charged. [The Kentucky Post, 7/8/04]