Usually out-of-towners are the ones who get burned at the casinos in Las Vegas. Cheryl Staley showed that locals also can lose – and at great cost to an employer. Staley, formerly bookkeeper for Local 501 of the International Union of Operating Engineers, was sentenced in U.S. District Court, District of Nevada, to five years probation for embezzling $231,653.89 in funds from the local, which is based in Los Angeles but has a Las Vegas office where she worked. She had pleaded guilty in May. The plea and sentencing follow an investigation by the Labor Department’s Office of Labor-Management Standards.
To say Staley had a gambling problem is an understatement. Indeed, her sentencing agreement stipulates that during her five-year probation period she may not enter a casino without first notifying the U.S. Probation Office. Moreover, she must attend gambling addiction classes. In addition to serving probation, Staley will have to pay full restitution, plus 10 percent interest at $200 a month and pay a $200 special assessment.