embezzlement charges

Office of Labor-Management Enforcement

The Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) conducts both civil and criminal investigations of alleged violations of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA) and related laws.

These investigations by OLMS District Offices involve issues such as embezzlements of union funds, union officer elections, the filing of required reports by unions and others with OLMS, and the imposition of trusteeships over subordinate unions by a parent body. These investigations may result in legal enforcement actions.

Date	Description
October 27th, 2015	On October 27, 2015, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Western Division, Julie Skaggs, former office manager of International Associations of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers Local 372 (located in Cincinnati, Ohio), was sentenced to six months of home incarceration, five years of probation, and was ordered to pay restitution totaling $67,874 and a $100 special assessment. On July 15, 2015, Skaggs pled guilty to one count of embezzlement of union funds in the amount of $51,491, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati-Cleveland District Office.
July 15th, 2015	On July 15, 2015, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Western Division, Julie Skaggs, former office manager for International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers Local 372 (located in Cincinnati, Ohio), pled guilty to one count of embezzlement of union funds in the amount of $51,491, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati-Cleveland District Office.
March 19th, 2014	On March 19, 2014, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Western Division, Julie Skaggs, former office manager for International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers Local 372 (located in Cincinnati, Ohio), was charged in a one-count indictment for embezzling $51,491 in union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati-Cleveland District Office.
March 12th, 2014	On March 12, 2014, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, Andrea Hobgood, former secretary for Ironworkers Local 58 (located in New Orleans, La.), pled guilty to embezzling union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). On January 27, 2014, Hobgood was charged in a one-count bill of information with embezzlement of union funds. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
January 27th, 2014	On January 27, 2014, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, Andrea Hobgood, former Secretary for International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental, and Reinforcing Iron Workers Local 58 (located in New Orleans, La.), was charged in a one-count bill of information with embezzlement of union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
May 10th, 2012	On May 10, 2012, in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, James J. Kearney Jr., former Financial Secretary-Treasurer of Iron Workers Local 45 (located in Jersey City, N.J.), was sentenced to 30 months of incarceration and three years of supervised release. In addition, Kearney was ordered to make full restitution (the amount to be determined at a later date) and pay a $100 special assessment. On November 11, 2011, Kearney pled guilty to a one-count information charging him with embezzling union funds in the amount of $561,365. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS New York District Office.
November 14th, 2011	On November 14, 2011, in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, James Kearney, former Secretary-Treasurer for Ironworkers Local 45 (located in Jersey City, N.J.), was charged in a one-count information with embezzling union funds in the amount of approximately $561,365, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). Kearney then pled guilty to the charge. While Secretary-Treasurer, Kearney withdrew approximately $471,400 from the union’s bank account for his personal use. In addition, Kearney failed to deposit approximately $89,965 in dues money and dinner dance receipts into the union’s bank account. Kearney also used this money for his personal use. The sentencing is scheduled for February 21, 2012. The charge and guilty plea follow an investigation by the OLMS New York District Office.
September 7th, 2011	On September 7, 2011, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Jeannine Prince, former bookkeeper/office secretary for Iron Workers Local 3 (located in Pittsburgh, Pa.), pled guilty to embezzling $418,070.96 in union funds. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office.
May 13th, 2011	On May 13, 2011, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, Heather Hill, former office secretary for Iron Workers Local 321 (located in Little Rock, Ark.), was sentenced to three years probation and was ordered to pay $59,142.12 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. On January 6, 2011, Hill pled guilty to an information charging her with embezzling and willfully converting employee welfare benefit plan funds, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 664. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas District Office and the Employee Benefits Security Administration.
May 12th, 2011	On May 12, 2011, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, Christy Riggs, former office secretary for Iron Workers Local 70 (located in Louisville, Ky.), was charged in a criminal complaint with embezzling $18,000. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office.
April 26th, 2011	On April 26, 2011, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Jeannine Prince, former bookkeeper/office secretary for Iron Workers Local 3 (located in Pittsburgh, Pa.), was charged in a one-count indictment for embezzling $418,070.96 in union funds. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office.
January 6th, 2011	On January 6, 2011, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, an information was filed against Heather Hill, former office secretary of Iron Workers Local 321 (located in Little Rock, Ark.), charging her with embezzling and willfully converting employee welfare benefit plan funds to her own use, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 664. Hill pled guilty to a loss of $59,653.12. The information and plea follow an investigation by the OLMS Dallas District Office and the Employee Benefits Security Administration.
September 16th, 2009	On September 16, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, Jeanne R. Brophy, former office manager for Ironworkers Local 379 (located in Lafayette, Ind.), pled guilty to one count of embezzlement of union funds of over $5,000. Brophy was immediately sentenced to two years probation and ordered to pay a fine of $1,000 and a special assessment of $100. Brophy had previously paid over $47,172 in restitution. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Chicago District Office.
June 24th, 2009	On June 24, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, Jeanne R. Brophy, former office manager of Iron Workers Local 379 (located in Lafayette, Ind.) pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds totaling over $5,000. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Chicago District Office.
February 26th, 2009	On February 26, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Scott Gehringer, former President of the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers Local 594 (located in Bethlehem, Pa.), was sentenced to three years supervised probation, including two months of home confinement, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment.Gehringer had previously made a restitution payment in the amount $547. On September 23, 2008, Gehringer pled guilty to a two-count indictment for aiding and abetting in the embezzlement of union funds and embezzlement of union funds. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
February 26th, 2009	On February 26, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Alex Margaritis, former Financial Secretary of International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers Local 594 (located in Bethlehem, Pa.), was sentenced to four years supervised probation, including two months of home confinement, and ordered to pay additional restitution in the amount $1,320.79 and a special assessment of $100. Margaritis had previously made a restitution payment in the amount $12,000. On September 23, 2008, Margaritis pled guilty to a two-count indictment for aiding and abetting in the embezzlement of union funds and embezzlement of union funds. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
October 8th, 2008	On October 8, 2008, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia, Louella M. Zieman, former-office secretary of Ironworkers Local 709 (located in Port Wentworth, Ga.), was sentenced to fourteen months in federal prison, three years of supervised released, ordered to make restitution in the amount of $51,684.50 and pay a special assessment of $100. On June 4, 2008, Zieman pled guilty to embezzling union funds in the same amount and one count of making false entries in the union’s financial records. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Atlanta District Office.
September 23rd, 2008	On September 23, 2008, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Scott Gehringer and Alex Margaritis, former President and Secretary Treasurer, respectively, of IronWorkers Local 594 (located in Hellertown, Pa.) pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds and one count of aiding and abetting in the embezzlement of union funds. Gehringer embezzled union funds in the amount of $3,050.00 and Margaritis embezzled union funds in the amount of $13,320.79. The pleas follow an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
April 3rd, 2008	On April 3, 2008, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia, Louella M. Zieman, former office-secretary of Ironworkers Local 709 (located in Port Wentworth, Ga.), was indicted on one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $51,684, and on one count of making false entries in the union’s financial records. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Atlanta District Office.
June 28th, 2006	On June 28, 2006, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Kevin Kulp, former Vice-President of Iron Workers Local 161, was sentenced to three years probation, including six months house arrest with electronic monitoring. Kulp was also ordered to pay a $2,000.00 fine and a $100.00 special assessment. On March 29, 2006, Kulp pled guilty to embezzling $21,888 from an employee benefit plan. The sentencing follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office and the Employee Benefits Security Administration Philadelphia Regional Office.
March 29th, 2006	On March 29, 2006, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Kevin Kulp, former Vice-President and benefits administrator for Iron Workers Local 61 pled guilty to embezzlement from an employee benefit plan in the amount of $21,888. The guilty plea follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office and the Employee Benefits Security Administration Philadelphia Regional Office.
January 3rd, 2006	On January 3, 2006, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Barbara Wituschek, former bookkeeper for Iron Workers Local 161, was sentenced to 36 months of probation and fined $1,000. On October 5, 2005 Wituschek pled guilty to two counts of embezzlement of union funds totaling $5,745.41. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
November 1st, 2005	On November 1, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, James Jordan, former Business Manager of Iron Workers Local 161, was sentenced to three years probation, including six months of home detention. Jordan was also fined $5,000. On May 24, 2005, Jordan pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds totaling $21,652.80 and one count of making a false entry in union records. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
October 7th, 2005	On October 7, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Duane Raab, former business manager of Iron Workers Local 518, was sentenced to three months imprisonment to be followed by thirty-six months of supervised release, including three months of home confinement for embezzling union funds. He was ordered to make restitution to the union in the amount of $25,479.38. Raab pled guilty to embezzling union funds on July 15, 2005. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS St. Louis District Office.
October 5th, 2005	On October 5, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Barbara Wituschek, former bookkeeper for Iron Workers Local 161, pled guilty to two counts of embezzling union funds totaling $5,745.41. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
May 24th, 2005	On May 24, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, James Jordon, the former business manager of Local 161, Iron Workers, was indicted on two counts of embezzling union funds in the amount of $21,652.80 and one count of making a false entry in union records. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
May 18th, 2005	On May 18, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Duane Raab, former business manager for Local 518, Iron Workers, was indicted on three counts of embezzling union funds. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS St. Louis District Office.
May 10th, 2005	On May 10, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Barbara Wituschek, the former office secretary for Local 161, Iron Workers (Riggers), was indicted on two counts of embezzling $5,745.41 in union funds. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
October 5th, 2004	On October 5, 2004, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, Alfred Garappolo, former partner in the accounting firm of Thomas Havey LLP, was sentenced to two years supervised probation and 100 hours of community service for being an accessory after the fact to embezzlement from an employee welfare benefit plan and concealing and covering up a material fact in a Department of Labor matter. He was ordered to pay a $15,000 fine and restitution to OLMS in the amount of $2,500. Garappolo's sentence was reduced due to his assistance in the ongoing investigation of the Iron Workers Union. On June 4, 2002, Garappolo pled guilty to the charges following a joint investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office, the FBI, the Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.
March 3rd, 2004	On March 3, 2004, in the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico, Elizabeth Martin, former bookkeeper and secretary for the New Mexico Construction Trades Council, and Iron Workers Local 495, was sentenced to four months in prison, four months home confinement, and ordered to pay $62,784 in restitution. On August 23, 2003, Martin pled guilty to a one-count information charging her with embezzling $68,743 in union funds from the Council and Local 495. The plea and sentence follow an investigation by the OLMS Denver District Office.
November 6th, 2003	On November 6, 2003, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, Jacob "Jake" West, former president of the Iron Workers International Union, was ordered to pay $59,383.57 in restitution to the union. West was sentenced to three years in prison followed by two years supervised probation for embezzlement and false union reports on October 8, 2003. The sentence and restitution order follow a joint investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office, the FBI, the Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration, and the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.
November 3rd, 2003	On November 3, 2003, in United States District Court for the District of Columbia, James E. Cole, former general treasurer and general secretary of the Iron Workers International Union, was sentenced to 15 months in prison, followed by 24 months probation for embezzlement, false union reports, and false union records. Additionally, Cole was ordered to pay $15,000 in restitution, a $15,000 fine, and a $150 special assessment. On June 18, 2001, he pled guilty to the charges following a joint investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office, the FBI, and the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.
October 8th, 2003	On October 8, 2003, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, Jacob F. "Jake" West, former general president of the Iron Workers International Union, was sentenced to three years imprisonment followed by two years supervised probation for embezzlement and false union reports. West was ordered to pay a fine in the amount of $125,000 and to make restitution. Although the amount of restitution will be determined later by the court, West will be required to make monthly payments in the amount of $25,000. On October 25, 2002, West pled guilty to one count of embezzlement from an employee pension benefit plan and one count of false union reports. The guilty plea and sentence follow a joint investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office, the FBI, the Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration, and the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.
August 25th, 2003	On August 25, 2003, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, Darrel E. Shelton, former general organizer for the Iron Workers International Union, was sentenced to four months in prison, followed by four months home detention and two years supervised probation. Shelton was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $80,000 and a special assessment in the amount of $965. He was also ordered to perform 200 hours of community service. The sentence was reduced due to his assistance in the larger federal investigation of the Iron Workers Union. On September 15, 2000, Shelton pled guilty to nine counts of embezzlement of union funds; one count of false entries in union records; and one count of conspiracy to embezzle union funds. The guilty plea and sentence followed an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office, the FBI, and the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.
August 23rd, 2003	On August 23, 2003, in the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico, Elizabeth Martin, former bookkeeper and office secretary for both the New Mexico Building and Construction Trades Council and Iron Workers Local 495, pled guilty to a one-count information charging her with embezzling $68,743 in union funds. She embezzled $57,143 from the New Mexico Building and Construction Trades Council by taking cash advances, charging personal expenses to the union credit card, and writing and tendering unauthorized checks to herself and third parties. Also, Martin embezzled $11,600 from Iron Workers Local 495 by taking cash receipts and writing and tendering unauthorized checks to the Trades Council. The charges were brought following an investigation by the OLMS Denver District Office.
August 21st, 2003	On August 21, 2003, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, Fred G. Summers, former Director of Organizing for the Iron Workers International Union, was sentenced to six months home detention and five years supervised probation. He was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $50,000, a $5,000 fine, and a special assessment of $1,675. Summers was also ordered to perform 100 hours of community service. The sentence was reduced due to his assistance in the larger federal investigation of the Iron Workers Union. On March 15, 2000, Summers pled guilty to 16 counts of embezzling union funds and three counts of false entries in union records. The guilty plea and sentence followed an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office, the FBI, and the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.
June 25th, 2003	On June 25, 2003, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, Kerry J. Tresselt, former bookkeeper for the National Ironworkers and Employers Apprenticeship Training and Journeyman Upgrading Fund ("National Training Fund"), was sentenced to six months home detention and five years supervised probation. Ms. Tresselt was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $234,505 (the amount remaining to be repaid from the $354,183 she embezzled). Tresselt was also ordered to submit to regular and random drug testing and undergo drug rehabilitation treatment. Tresselt's sentencing range was reduced due to the substantial assistance that she provided the federal government in its larger probe of corruption within the Iron Workers Union. Tresselt pled guilty to three counts of Embezzlement from the National Training Fund and Conspiracy to Make False Statements in the Records of the National Training Fund. Tresselt was charged following a joint investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office, the FBI, DOL-EBSA, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.
December 11th, 2002	On December 11, 2002, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, embezzlement and conspiracy charges were dismissed against LeRoy Worley, former general secretary of the Iron Workers. Federal prosecutors decided not to seek a new trial after a jury's failure to reach a verdict caused a mistrial to be declared on November 15, 2002. Worley and former Iron Workers President Jake West were the subjects of a superceding indictment handed down by a federal grand jury on August 7, 2002, that accused both men of funneling illegal payments to Worley, totaling more than $217,000, from the union pension plan for salary and expenses after Worley retired. The indictment also listed more than $37,000 for a pension that Worley was not entitled to receive. West pled guilty on October 25, 2002, to one count of embezzling from an employee pension benefit fund and one count of making a material false statement in exchange for the remaining charges against him being dropped after sentencing. The charges had been brought following a joint investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office, the FBI, and the Department of Labor's Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration.
October 16th, 2002	On October 16, 2002, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York, Nancy Barber, former office secretary for Ironworkers Local Union #12, was sentenced to five months of imprisonment followed by five months of home confinement and three years probation. She was ordered to make full restitution in the amount of $57,601. On June 24, 2002, Ms. Barber pled guilty to one count of embezzling $57,769.74 in union funds following a joint investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office, the Department of Labor's Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration, and the FBI.
August 7th, 2002	On August 7, 2002, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, the grand jury returned a three-count indictment against Jake West, general president emeritus of the Iron Workers International Union, and LeRoy E. Worley, former general secretary. The new indictment charges West and Worley with conspiracy, embezzlement from a labor union, aiding and abetting, and embezzlement from an employee pension benefit plan. West and Worley are charged with causing illegal payments to be made to Worley totaling over $217,000 from the union for salary and expenses after Worley retired, and totaling over $37,000 for a pension that Worley was not entitled to receive. The new indictment represents a second indictment of West who was previously charged in a 51-count indictment on December 12, 2001. The new indictment supercedes a previous one-count indictment of Worley on May 17, 2002. The charges were brought following an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office, the FBI, the Department of Labor's Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.
June 24th, 2002	On June 24, 2002, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York, Nancy L. Barber, former office secretary for Ironworkers Local 12, pled guilty to one count of embezzling $57,769.74 in union funds. The charges had been brought following a joint investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office, the Department of Labor's Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration, and the FBI.
June 4th, 2002	On June 4, 2002, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, Alfred S. Garappolo, a partner in the accounting firm Thomas Havey LLP, pled guilty to a two-count information charging him with being an accessory after the fact to embezzlement from an employee welfare benefit plan in violation of 18 U.S.C. 3 and concealing and covering up a material fact in a matter within the jurisdiction of the Department of Labor in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1001. He pled guilty to assisting Kerry Tresselt, the bookkeeper for the Iron Workers National Training Fund, in order to hinder or prevent her apprehension, trial and punishment for her embezzlement from the Training Fund. He also pled guilty to knowingly and willfully concealing and failing to disclose to OLMS investigators statements made at a September 1992 meeting by Victor Van Bourg, then general counsel of the Iron Workers International Union, to Jake West, then the international president. These statements were to the effect that the Havey Company should be replaced as the Iron Workers' accountants if Havey accountants did not assist the scheme to underreport and conceal the true nature and amount of the union's disbursements for its officers on the union's annual financial report, Form LM-2, filed with OLMS. The documents filed as part of the plea agreement charge that after the meeting, Havey accountants aided and assisted in the preparation of union reports that concealed the true amount of union disbursements for union officers Jake West, LeRoy Worley, and James Cole. This is part of an ongoing investigation that has resulted in the guilty pleas of six former officials and employees of the Iron Workers to a variety of embezzlement and conspiracy charges. Former President Jake West and former General Secretary LeRoy Worley, have been indicted and are separately awaiting trial. The charges were brought following a joint investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.
June 3rd, 2002	On June 3, 2002, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, a May 17, 2002, indictment was unsealed which charged LeRoy Worley, former general secretary of the Iron Workers International Union with embezzling an amount greater than $37,000 from an employee pension benefit plan in violation of 18 U.S.C. 664. The indictment charged that he resigned and retired when he was 58 years old and had worked between 17 and 18 years for the international union, but he was paid a full pension from the Iron Workers Staff Retirement Pension Fund as if he had retired at age 60 and as if he had worked 20 years for the international union. The indictment also charged that his annual salary preceding his retirement was approximately $152,000, yet he was paid a pension as if his annual salary preceding retirement had been $169,184. The charges were brought as the result of an investigation led by the OLMS Washington District Office and assisted by the FBI and the Department of Labor's Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration.
April 11th, 2002	On April 11, 2002, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Steven Jones, former business manager/secretary-treasurer of Iron Workers Local 387, was sentenced to six months imprisonment and three years probation and was ordered to make restitution of $90,000. He had pled guilty on October 11, 2001 to embezzling union funds and apprenticeship funds following a joint investigation by the OLMS Atlanta District Office, the Department of Labor's Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration, and the Department of Labor's Office of the Inspector General.
April 11th, 2002	On April 11, 2002, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, Raymond Robertson, former general vice president of the Iron Workers International Union and director of its National Training Fund, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud an employee welfare benefit plan, one count of aiding and abetting embezzlement from an organization receiving federal funds, and six counts of embezzlement from an employee welfare benefit plan. According to the plea agreement, he agreed to pay a fine of $30,000, to make restitution of $103,170, and to assist the government in other investigations. The charges had been brought following a joint investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.
December 12th, 2001	On December 12, 2001, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, a superceding indictment was returned against Jake West, general president emeritus of the Iron Workers International Union. The superceding indictment contained the same 49 counts that were in the original indictment which was unsealed on August 29, 2001, plus one count of conspiracy to embezzle, defraud, and file false reports and one count of obstruction of justice. The charges were brought following a joint investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.
November 8th, 2001	On November 8, 2001, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, Kerry J. Tresselt, an employee of the Iron Workers International Union who worked as a bookkeeper for the National Ironworkers and Employers Apprenticeship Training and Journeyman Upgrading Fund, pled guilty to three counts of embezzling more than $350,000 from an employee welfare benefit plan and one count of conspiring to make false statements. The charges were brought following a joint investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office, the FBI, the Department of Labor's Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.
October 11th, 2001	On October 11, 2001, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Steve Jones, former business manager/secretary-treasurer of Iron Workers Local 387, pled guilty to a two-count information charging him with embezzling $29,724.73 in union funds and $39,949.42 in apprenticeship funds. The charges had been brought following a joint investigation by the OLMS Atlanta District Office, the Department of Labor's Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration, and the Department of Labor's Office of the Inspector General.
August 29th, 2001	On August 29, 2001, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, a 49-count indictment against Jake West, general president emeritus of the Iron Workers International Union, was unsealed. The indictment charges him with 43 counts of embezzling a total of approximately $51,000 in union funds and 3 counts of concealing and falsifying a material fact and 3 counts of making false statements, both in connection with the Form LM-2 reports he filed in 1996, 1997, and 1998. The charges were brought following a joint investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.
June 17th, 2001	On June 17, 2001, James E. Cole, General Secretary of the Iron Workers International Union, pled guilty in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of union funds embezzlement, one count of failing to disclose a material fact in a union financial report filed with the U.S. Department of Labor, and one count of making a false entry in union records. Mr. Cole had been charged in an 18-count indictment on January 3, 2001, with embezzlement of more than $10,000 in union funds, false reporting and mail fraud. The OLMS Washington District Office conducted the investigation with assistance from the FBI. Mr. Cole is the fourth official of the Iron Workers to plead guilty as a result of the investigation.