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
December 2nd, 2021	On December 2, 2021, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Verdine Day, former Treasurer of Detroit Fire Fighters Association, International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 344 (located in Detroit, Mich.), pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud for embezzling $220,044, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1344(2). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Minneapolis Resident Investigator Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Labors Office of Inspector General.
November 15th, 2021	On November 15, 2021, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Verdine Day, former Treasurer of Detroit Fire Fighters Association, International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 344 (located in Detroit, Mich.), was charged in an information with one count of bank fraud for embezzling $220,044, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1344(2). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Minneapolis Resident Investigator Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Labors Office of Inspector General.
December 16th, 2019	On December 16, 2019, in Yakima County District Court in Yakima, Washington, Brian Slavens, former Secretary-Treasurer of International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local F-295 (located in Yakima, Wash.), was charged with theft in the 1st degree for embezzling approximately $6,000 in union funds, in violation of Washington State criminal code RCW 9A.56.030. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS San Francisco-Seattle District Office.
May 17th, 2012	On May 17, 2012, in the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island, a criminal complaint was filed charging Joseph Palumbo, former President of Firefighters Local 100 (located in Newport, R.I.), with embezzlement and fraudulent conversion in the amount of $1,541.91, in violation of Rhode Island General Laws 11-41-3. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Boston District Office.
October 15th, 2010	On October 15, 2010, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Aaron Hunter, former President of Firefighters Local 108-F (located in Fort Leonard Wood, MO), was sentenced to one year probation for the charge of making false statements in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1001 to conceal his embezzlement of union funds. Hunter paid restitution totaling $30,000 prior to his sentencing. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS St. Louis District Office.
June 4th, 2010	On June 4, 2010, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Aaron Hunter, former President of Firefighters Local 108F (located in Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.), was charged with one count of making false statements to conceal his embezzlement of union funds. Hunter then pled guilty to the charge. The charge and plea follows an investigation by the OLMS St. Louis District Office.
January 17th, 2002	On January 17, 2002, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Richard Adams, former treasurer of Firefighters Local 639, was charged in a one-count information with bank fraud in the amount of $3,139.25. The embezzlement of union funds totaled $144,939.46 and restitution will be based on that amount. The charges were brought following a joint investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office and the FBI.