Center for Union Facts logo

Union Facts

Transit Union

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
November 17th, 2020On November 17, 2020, in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, Angel Luis Garcia, former Financial Secretary of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1614 (located in Dover, N.J.), was sentenced to 12 months of home confinement with electronic monitoring and three years of supervised release. Garcia was also ordered to pay $119,021 in restitution and a $100 assessment. On June 23, 2020, Garcia pleaded guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $117,000, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS New York District Office.
June 23rd, 2020On June 23, 2020, in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, Angel Luis Garcia, former Financial Secretary of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1614 (located in Dover, N.J.), pleaded guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $117,000, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS New York District Office.
December 5th, 2019On December 5, 2019, in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, Angel Luis Garcia, former Financial Secretary of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1614 (located in Dover, N.J.), was charged in a criminal complaint with one count of embezzlement in the amount of $117,000, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS New York District Office.
August 11th, 2016On August 11, 2016, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Johnny Wilson, former Financial Secretary-Treasurer of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1338 (located in Dallas, Tex.), was sentenced to 18 months of confinement, two years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $120,352 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. On March 30, 2016, Wilson pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $120,352, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
March 30th, 2016On March 30, 2016, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Johnny L, Wilson, former Financial Secretary-Treasurer of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1338 (located in Dallas, Tex.), was charged and pled guilty to a one-count information of embezzling $120,352 in union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The charge and guilty plea follow an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
September 14th, 2015On September 14, 2015, in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona, Richard Johnson, former Financial Secretary-Treasurer of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1433 (located in Phoenix, Ariz.), was sentenced to 18 months of incarceration, three years of probation, and was ordered to pay $273,489 in restitution and a $425 special assessment. On June 2, 2015, Johnson pled guilty to a five-count information for Embezzlement of Union Assets (three counts), in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c); Forgery (one count), in violation of 18 U.S.C. 513(a); and False Reporting (one count), in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(b). The sentencing follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Phoenix Resident Investigative Office and the Internal Revenue Service.
June 2nd, 2015On June 2, 2015, in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona, Richard Johnson, former Financial Secretary-Treasurer of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1433 (located in Phoenix, Ariz.), was charged with three counts of embezzlement of union assets, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c); one count of forgery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 513(a); and one count of false reporting, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(b). The charges relate to an embezzlement scheme that resulted in a loss of $273,489 in union assets. Johnson then pled guilty to all five counts. The charges and plea follow an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office.
February 3rd, 2014On February 3, 2014, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, Adam Raimer, former Secretary-Treasurer of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1027 (located in Fresno, Calif.), was sentenced to five years of probation and was ordered to pay the remaining restitution amount of $18,429 and a $200 special assessment. Raimer had previously paid restitution in the amount of $23,000. On September 20, 2013, Raimer pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $41,429, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c), and one count of access device fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1029(a)(2). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS San Francisco-Seattle Office.
December 1st, 2012On December 1, 2012, Claude Huff, former President and Business Manager of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1385 in Dayton, Ohio, was sentenced to five years of probation and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $110,348. In September 2012, Huff pled guilty to one count of embezzlement of union funds. The investigation disclosed that between 2004 and 2010, Huff embezzled union funds through unauthorized checks to himself for salary, vacation pay, and sick leave. Huff also altered union financial records in an attempt to conceal his actions.
September 4th, 2012On September 4, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Claude Huff, former Business Manager/President of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1385 (located in Dayton, Ohio), pled guilty to one count of embezzlement of union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The amount will not exceed $110,348.49. On February 14, 2012, Huff was indicted for the same charge. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office.
August 9th, 2012On August 9, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, Adam C. Raimer, former Secretary-Treasurer of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1027 (located in Fresno, Calif.), was indicted on the following four counts: one count of embezzlement of union funds totaling $41,429.65, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c); two counts for filing false financial reports, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(b); and one count for the unauthorized use of an Office Depot Credit Plan, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1029(a)(2). Raimer was arrested on December 20, 2012. The indictment and arrest follow an investigation by the OLMS San Francisco District Office.
February 15th, 2012On February 15, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Thomas Conley, former President and Vice President of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1738 (located in Latrobe, Pa.), was charged in a two-count indictment for embezzling $15,432.26 in union funds and falsifying union records. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office.
February 14th, 2012On February 14, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Claude Huff, former Business Manager/President of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1385 (located in Dayton, Ohio), was indicted on one count of embezzlement in an amount exceeding $100,000, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office.
August 2nd, 2011On August 2, 2011, in the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota, Terri Dunkelberger, former Financial Secretary-Treasurer of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1356 (located in Sioux Falls, S.D.), was sentenced to two years probation for embezzling union funds. Dunkelberger was also ordered to pay $11,848.98 in restitution and a $100 special assessment fee. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Minneapolis Resident Investigator Office and Milwaukee District Office.
June 21st, 2011On June 21, 2011, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Donald Kotouch, former President and Business Agent of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1738 (located in Latrobe, Pa.), pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $18,806.27 and one count of falsifying union records. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office.
April 21st, 2011On April 21, 2011, in the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota, Terri Dunkelberger, former Financial Secretary Treasurer of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1356 (located in Sioux Falls, S.D.), pled guilty to one count of a superseding indictment and admitted to embezzling $11,648.98 from Local 1356. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Minneapolis Resident Investigator Office and Milwaukee District Office.
March 2nd, 2011On March 2, 2011, in the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota, Terri Dunkelberger, former Financial Secretary Treasurer of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1356 (located in Sioux Falls, S.D.), was indicted on three counts of embezzlement of union funds in the approximate amount of $4,148.98. On June 3, 2010, Dunkelberger was also indicted for one count of embezzlement of union funds in the approximate amount of $24,148.98. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Minneapolis Resident Investigator Office and Milwaukee District Office.
October 5th, 2010On October 5, 2010, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Donald Kotouch, the former President and Business Agent of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1738 (located in Latrobe, PA), was charged in a two count indictment for embezzling $18,806.27 in union funds and falsifying union records. The indictment follows an investigation by the Pittsburgh District Office.
August 5th, 2010On August 5, 2010, in the United States District Court for the Western District of New York, Thomas Pokrywczynski, former Treasurer of the Transit Union’s New York State Legislative Conference Board and former Financial Secretary-Treasurer of Transit Union Local 1342 (located in Buffalo, N.Y.), was sentenced to 24 months of incarceration, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $215,527.74. On February 16, 2010, Pokrywczynski pled guilty to embezzling approximately $71,000 from Transit Union, Local 1342 and approximately $183,000 from the Transit Union’s New York State Legislative Conference Board between January 2002 and March 2008 while serving as treasurer of both labor organizations. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office.
June 3rd, 2010On June 3, 2010, in United States District Court for the District of South Dakota, Terri Dunkelberger, former Financial Secretary Treasurer of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1356 (located in Sioux Falls, S.D.), was indicted on one count of embezzling union funds in the approximate amount of $24,148.98. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Minneapolis Resident Investigator Office and Milwaukee District Office.
February 16th, 2010On February 16, 2010, in the United States District Court for the Western District of New York, Thomas Pokrywczynski, former Treasurer of the Transit Union’s New York State Legislative Conference Board and former Financial Secretary-Treasurer of Transit Union Local 1342 (located in Buffalo, N.Y.), pled guilty to embezzling approximately $71,000 from Transit Union, Local 1342 and approximately $183,000 from the Transit Union’s New York State Legislative Conference Board between January 2002 and March 2008 while serving as treasurer of both labor organizations. On August 21, 2009, Pokrywczynski was charged with embezzling $277,548.72 from the two labor organizations. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office.
August 21st, 2009On August 21, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Western District of New York, Thomas Pokrywczynski, former Treasurer of the Transit Union’s New York State Legislative Conference Board and former Financial Secretary-Treasurer of Transit Union Local 1342 (located in Buffalo, N.Y.), was charged with embezzling $277,548.72 from the two labor organizations between January 2002 and March 2008. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office.
December 30th, 2008On December 30, 2008, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Luther L. Corey, former President of the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1197 (located in Jacksonville, Fla.), was sentenced to 180 days home confinement, four years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a special assessment of $100 and make restitution in the amount of $16,288.37. On October 1, 2008, Corey pled guilty to embezzling union funds in the same amount. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Atlanta District Office.
October 1st, 2008On October 1, 2008, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Luther L. Corey, former President of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1197 (located in Jacksonville, Fla.), pled guilty to embezzling union funds in the amount of $16,288.37.On March 26, 2008, Corey was charged with embezzling union funds in the same amount. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Atlanta District Office.
April 23rd, 2008On April 23, 2008, in the County Court of Dallas County, Texas, Bobby Earl Williams, former president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1635 (located in Dallas, Texas), and his wife Janice Muriel Williams were each indicted on one count of forgery totaling $1,431. Bobby Earl Williams is alleged to have embezzled union funds by writing unauthorized checks for lost time, while his wife forged the Secretary-Treasurer’s signature. The indictments follow an investigation by the OLMS Dallas District Office.
April 1st, 2003On April 1, 2003, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Laura McClurg, former secretary-treasurer of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1195, was sentenced to thirty days home restriction with electronic monitoring and one year probation for her concealment of union records in connection with a $2,295 embezzlement. She had been indicted on September 3, 2002, following an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
September 3rd, 2002On September 3, 2002, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Laura L. McClurg, former secretary-treasurer of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1195, was charged in an information with concealment of labor union records. The information charges that she concealed and withheld records and statements required to be kept by a labor union in order to conceal her embezzlement of $2,295 in union funds. The charges were brought following an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.