As treasurer of the largest public employees union in New York State, Carol Bruno managed to help herself to its treasury. Now she’ll have a few years to think about it. On Friday, May 15, Bruno, formerly an administrative assistant for Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) Region IV, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Albany to three years of probation, the first 10 months of which will involve home confinement.
Beginning in March 2004 and for a period of two years thereafter, Bruno took about $40,000 from union accounts until certain fellow office employees noticed money was missing and notified the authorities. In July 2007, she was removed from her state government and union posts, and in January 2009 pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $16,000. CSEA Region IV is alternately known as Local 1000 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. (Associated Press, 5/15/09).