On January 13, Rebecca Bandt, ex-president of Local 717 of the United Food & Commercial Workers, pled guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of embezzling union funds totaling more than $14,000. She had been indicted on a variety of charges in September. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the Labor Department. (OLMS, 2/3).
Ex-Local President in Chicago Charged with Embezzlement
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago has charged Dianna K. Rushing, formerly president of Association of Flight Attendants Local Executive Council 8, with embezzling $10,452 in union funds during 2003. (Chicago Tribune, 2/7).
Former Secretary-Treasurer in Virginia Sentenced
On January 17, Linda Y. Brown, formerly secretary-treasurer for Local Lodge 57 of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, was sentenced in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia to six months of home detention and five years of supervised probation. Back in September she had pleaded guilty to mail fraud in the amount of $24,336. The sentencing follows an investigation by the Labor Department’s Office of Labor-Management Standards. (OLMS, 2/3).
Ex-Treasurer in Ohio Sentenced for Embezzling Union Funds
On January 19, James E. Miller, former treasurer of Local 144 of the American Flint Glass Workers Union, was sentenced in federal court to 14 days of incarceration, eight months of home confinement, 36 months probation and 100 hours of community service for embezzling $7,765.81 in local funds. The court also ordered Miller to make full restitution. He had pleaded guilty in July. (OLMS, 2/3).
Texas Local President Sentenced for Securities Forgery
On January 13, Anthony Ward, former president of Local 1055 of the American Federation of Government Employees, was sentenced in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas to three years of supervised probation and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $11,428. He pled guilty in October to one count of uttering a forged security. The sentencing follows an investigation by the Department of Labor. (OLMS, 2/3).
Ex-Local President in Pennsylvania Charged with Embezzlement
On January 13, Richard D. Yovichin, II, formerly president of AFGE Local 3974, was charged in McKean County (Pa.) Court with three counts of embezzling local funds totaling $3,725.49. McKean County is in rural northern Pennsylvania. (OLMS, 2/3).
Western Pennsylvania Local Employee Pleads Guilty
On January 13, Brenda Burkhamer, ex-employee of United Mine Workers of America Local 1257, pleaded guilty in Westmoreland County (Pa.) Court to one count of theft by deception and one count of forgery. In addition to these charges, Burkhamer previously had been charged with 46 counts of embezzling union funds in the amount of $9,656.50. She was sentenced to two years probation, and was ordered to make full restitution plus attend weekly meetings of Gamblers Anonymous. Westmoreland County is located immediately east of the Pittsburgh metro area. The guilty plea and sentencing follow an investigation by the Department of Labor. (OLMS, 2/3).
Former Business Agent in Kansas Indicted for Embezzlement
On January 11, Richard Lammers, formerly business agent and financial secretary for Local 99G for the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers, was indicted in U.S. District Court, District of Kansas, on one count of embezzling nearly $5,000 in union funds. (OLMS, 2/3).
Kansas Businessman Charged with Aiding False Records Entry
On January 12, Kenneth Kruse was charged in U.S. District Court with an information count with aiding and abetting a false entry in the records of Sheet Metal Workers Local 29. Kruse is the sole officer of Kruse Corporation. (OLMS, 2/3).
Ex-Financial Secretary in Upstate New York Sentenced
On January 20, George Strollo, former financial secretary for Local 81495 of the Communications Workers of America, was sentenced in U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York to three years of probation and 100 hours of community service. He also was ordered to make restitution on the remaining $1,773 of the $2,173 owed to the local. Strollo previously had pled guilty to falsifying union records. (OLMS, 2/3).