Center for Union Facts logo

Union Facts

Utility Workers

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.

DateDescription
October 26th, 2016On October 26, 2016, in the Nassau County District Court in Mineola, New York, Charles Burke, former Treasurer of Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA) Local 365 (located in Valley Stream, N.Y.), was sentenced to three years of probation and was ordered to pay the remaining $37,000 in restitution. Burke had previously paid $74,000 in restitution. On March 8, 2016, Burke pled guilty to one count of Grand Larceny in the 2nd degree and one count of Scheme to Defraud in the 1st degree, for embezzling $111,000 from UWUA Local 365. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS New York District Office.
March 20th, 2014On March 20, 2014, in the United States Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, John Vetterly, Jr., former President of Utility Workers Local 475 (located in Rochester, Pa.), pled guilty to embezzlement of union funds in the amount of $26,605, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). On October 8, 2013, Vetterly was indicted for embezzlement and conspiracy to embezzle union funds. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia-Pittsburgh District Office.
October 8th, 2013On October 8, 2013, in the United States Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, John Vetterly, Jr., former President of Utility Workers Local 475 (located in Pittsburgh, Pa.), was indicted for conspiracy to embezzle union funds, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371 and 29 U.S.C. 501(c). Vetterly was indicted for embezzling union funds in the amount of $26,605. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office.
October 8th, 2013On October 8, 2013, in the United States Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, John Baranski, former Secretary-Treasurer of Utility Workers Local 475 (located in Pittsburgh, Pa.), was indicted for conspiracy to embezzle union funds, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371 and 29 U.S.C. 501(c). Baranski was indicted for embezzling union funds in the amount of $4,246. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office.
December 13th, 2011On December 13, 2011, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, Robert Cole, former Financial Secretary of Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA) Local 124 (located in Irons, Mich.), was sentenced to two years probation with the first six months on home detention without electronic monitoring. Cole was also ordered to pay $11,605.59 in restitution and a $150 special assessment. On August 11, 2011, Cole pled guilty to one count of embezzlement of union funds in the amount of $11,605.59, one count of filing a false report, and one count of making false entries in union records. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit District Office.
August 11th, 2011On August 11, 2011, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, Robert Cole, former Financial Secretary of Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA) Local 124 (located in Irons, Mich.), pled guilty to one count of embezzlement of union funds in the amount of $11,605.59, one count of filing a false report, and one count of making false entries in union records. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit District Office.
April 12th, 2011On April 12, 2011, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, Robert Cole, former Financial Secretary of Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA) Local 124 (located in Irons, Mich.), was indicted on one count of embezzlement of union funds in the amount of $11,605.59, one count of filing a false report, and one count of making false entries in union records. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit District Office.
November 13th, 2008On November 13, 2008, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Kenneth Wallace, former delegate of Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA) Local 600 (located in Newport, Ky.), was indicted on two counts of embezzling union funds in the amount of $2,484.02 between April 30, 2005 and June 28, 2006. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office.
August 14th, 2008On August 14, 2008, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Amy Cross, former Secretary-Treasurer of Utility Workers Local 308 (located in Lima, Ohio), was sentenced to three months of home confinement, two years supervised release and ordered to make restitution in the amount of $31,886. On April 30, 2008, Cross plead guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the same amount. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office.
April 30th, 2008On April 30, 2008, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Amy J. Cross, former Secretary/Treasurer of Utility Workers Local 308 (located in Lima, Ohio), pled guilty to embezzling union funds in the amount of $31,886.64. On April 7, 2008, an information was filed charging Cross with one count of embezzlement in the same amount. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office.
April 7th, 2008On April 7, 2008, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, an information was filed charging Amy Cross, former Secretary-Treasurer of Utility Workers Local 308 (located in Lima, Ohio), with one count of embezzling $31,887 of union funds. The information follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office.
June 27th, 2001On June 27, 2001, in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, Leo MacGillvray, former treasurer of Utility Workers Local 446, pled guilty to a one-count information charging him with embezzling $86,311 in union funds. The charges were brought following an investigation by the OLMS Boston District Office.