Beverly Davis and Evelyn Smith treated their union like a personal ATM machine. Eventually, their money supply ran out. On December 13, 2019, Davis and Smith, each an office employee of Communications Workers of America Local 6222, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas to their roles in an embezzlement scheme that yielded a combined more than $135,000 over several years from the Houston-based union, which represents AT&T employees. The pleas follow a probe by the U.S. Labor Department’s Office of Labor-Management Standards. Each woman faces up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine at sentencing on February 28.
Davis and Smith, each now 67, were employed by the union, respectively, during 2010-17 and 2005-18. Davis administered a special fund intended to help union members during financial hardships, while Smith served as secretary-treasurer. According to prosecutors, they used their positions to help themselves at the expense of dues-paying members. Sometime after she began her employment until 2017, Davis embezzled $85,536.77 in local funds and falsified union records to conceal the thefts. And starting in 2011 and lasting until 2018, Smith stole $50,967.76. Grand total: $136,504.53. Each defendant was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.