On February 21, Connie Jacobs, former office manager for Local 495 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, was sentenced in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina to twelve months and one day in prison, to be followed by three years of probation, for embezzlement of union funds. She was ordered to pay nearly $120,000 in restitution, plus a $100 special assessment fee. Jacobs pleaded guilty in November. IBEW Local 495 is based in Wilmington, N.C. (OLMS, 3/5/07).
Cincinnati-Area Contractor Sentenced for Thefts from Local
On February 16, Michael Griffie, an electrical contractor, was sentenced in Hamilton County, Ohio, Court of Common Pleas, to one year of community service. He’d been charged last March with aggravated theft of property or services worth $100,000 or more from IBEW Local 212. He also was charged with tampering with, and forging, market recovery fund forms, with the intent of defrauding the local. Two women involved in the case, Rachetta Johnson and Charlene Monroe, were sentenced last September. The actions follow an investigation by the Labor Department’s Office of Labor-Management Standards. (OLMS, 2/23/07).
Washington State CPA Pleads Guilty to Misclassifying Costs
On February 20, James A. Pulsifer, a certified public accountant, pleaded guilty in federal court for the Western District of Washington to making a false representation of material fact. Pulsifer, in the course of making accounting adjustments to the Department of Labor’s standard LM-2 reporting form for the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace, had misclassified about $500,000 in expenditures. Union officers who signed the report believed that it was free of errors and in full compliance with DOL regulations. He had been charged back in November. The union, based in Seattle, represents professional employees of Boeing, BAE Systems and other aerospace companies around the country. (OLMS, 3/5/07).
Secretary-Treasurer in Tennessee Indicted for Embezzlement
On February 13, James B. Green, Jr., former secretary-treasurer for Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen Local Lodge 49, was indicted in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee on five counts of embezzling union funds totaling $36,025.80. (OLMS, 3/5/07).
Ex-Business Agent for Minnesota Local Sentenced for Theft
On February 22, Catherine Bronson, former business representative for Local 21 of the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees, was sentenced in U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota to 180 days of home confinement to be followed by three years of supervised release for embezzlement of union funds. She also was ordered to pay $28,850 in restitution to the Rochester, Minn.-based union. Bronson was charged last September with one count of embezzling approximately $35,675 in union funds. (OLMS, 3/5/07).
Wisconsin Secretary-Treasurer Convicted of Theft
On February 27, James L. Turner, former secretary-treasurer for American Federation of Government Employees Council 33, Bureau of Prisons Locals, was convicted in Circuit Court, Burnett County, Wisconsin, for theft. He was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $6,600 and a forfeiture of $709. Burnett County is in the northwest portion of the state, about an hour’s drive south of the Duluth-Superior area. (3/5/07).
Former Massachusetts Local Treasurer Charged with Larceny
On February 9, the Pittsfield, Massachusetts District Court issued a criminal complaint against Norman Haskins, former treasurer for National Association of Government Employees Local 01-62, charging him with larceny in the amount of $2,192. The national union, based in Quincy, Mass., is affiliated with the Service Employees International Union. (OLMS, 2/23/07).
Pennsylvania Local Boss Pleads Guilty to Falsifying Records
On February 23, Charyle Emel, former president of American Postal Workers Local 2013, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania to one count of falsifying union records. She was ordered to return any union records in her possession within 20 days and to make restitution to the union in an amount to be determined at a later date. She had been charged in December with making, or causing to be made, a false loan agreement between herself and the local. (OLMS, 3/5/07).
Secretary-Treasurer in Nebraska Indicted for Embezzlement
On February 22, Thomas E. Saltzman, former secretary-treasurer for United Transportation Union Local 418, was indicted in U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska on one count of embezzling union funds during the period September 2001-November 2006. The court did not provide a dollar figure for the thefts. The international union is based in Cleveland and is affiliated with the AFL-CIO. (OLMS, 3/5/07).