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Union Facts

Office & Professional Employees, Local 12

Guilty Pleas

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
May 15th, 2014On May 15, 2014, in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, Laurie Hoffman, former bookkeeper for Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 12 (located in Roseville, Minn.), was sentenced to two years of probation and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $8,909 and a $100 fine. On December 18, 2013, Hoffman pled guilty to embezzlement of union funds in the amount of $8,909, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c), and aiding and abetting, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 2. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office.
May 13th, 2014On May 13, 2014, in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, Elizabeth Branca, former business manager for Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 12 (located in Roseville, Minn.), was sentenced to two years of probation and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $16,546 and a $100 fine. On December 19, 2013, Branca pled guilty to embezzlement of union funds in the amount of $16,546, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c), and aiding and abetting, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 2. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office.
December 19th, 2013On December 19, 2013, in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, Elizabeth Branca, former business manager for Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 12 (located in Roseville, Minn.), pled guilty to one count of embezzlement of union funds in the amount of $16,546, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c), and for aiding and abetting another, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 2. On December 18, 2013, Branca was charged in an information with embezzling union funds and aiding and abetting. The information also alleged forfeitures pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 981(a)(1)(c) and 28 U.S.C. 2461(c). The charges and plea follow an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office.
December 18th, 2013On December 18, 2013, in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, Laurie Hoffman, former bookkeeper for Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 12 (located in Roseville, Minn.), pled guilty to one count of embezzlement of union funds in the amount of $8,909, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c), and for aiding and abetting another, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 2. On December 17, 2013, Hoffman was charged in an information with embezzling union funds and aiding and abetting. The information also alleged forfeitures pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 981(a)(1)(c) and 28 U.S.C. 2461(c). The charges and plea follow an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office.