Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Lodge 800 is almost depleted of its funds. And that has a lot to do with the employee who not too long ago handled them. On October 29, Jeremy Bolte, formerly lodge secretary-treasurer, was charged in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri with embezzling more than $12,000 from the Kansas City, Mo. union. He then pleaded guilty to 10 counts of embezzlement. The actions follow a probe by the U.S. Labor Department’s Office of Labor-Management Standards. The union represents Kansas City-area employees of BNSF Railway.
Federal prosecutors had alleged that Bolte, who served in his union position during March 2011-April 2013, had sole control of union finances. Over much of this time, he wrote 18 unauthorized checks and made seven unauthorized credit card charges for the purpose of paying personal expenses. As a result of these actions, Lodge 800 lost $12,009, and was left with only $33 in its checking account, plus an unpaid credit card balance of $401. A sentencing date will be established once a probation office investigation is completed.