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Union Facts

Service Employees

Officials Sentenced

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
March 10th, 2023On March 10, 2023, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, Attia Little, former property services division operations manager for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), located in Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by 24 months of supervised probation. Little also was ordered to pay $399,450 in restitution. On July 1, 2022, Little pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement from a labor organization and one count of conspiracy to commit embezzlement from a labor organization, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c) and 18 U.S.C. 371, respectively, for embezzling $503,600. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office and the Department of Labors Office of Inspector General.
October 5th, 2022On October 5, 2022, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, Melba Norris, an associate of a former employee of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) (located in Washington, D.C.), was sentenced to six months in prison followed by 24 months of probation. Norris was also ordered to pay $37,007 in restitution. On May 5, 2022, Norris pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement and one count of conspiracy to embezzle union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c) and 18 U.S.C. 371, respectively. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office and the Department of Labors Office of Inspector General.
July 15th, 2020On July 15, 2020, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, Robert Kurtycz, former Comptroller of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Chicago Midwest Regional Joint Board (located in Chicago, Ill.), was sentenced to one day of imprisonment (suspended) and three years of supervised release, which includes one year of home confinement. He was also ordered to pay $85,962 in restitution and a $200 assessment. On February 27, 2020, Kurtycz pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit commercial bribery, in violation of 720 ILCS 5/29A and thereafter, did perform and attempt to perform an act of promotion, management, and carry on, and facilitation of the promotion, management, and carrying on, of the unlawful activity, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1952(a)(3), all in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371, and one count of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343. The factual basis of the plea agreement noted that the wire fraud charge pertained to the electronic transfer of union funds for unauthorized expense reimbursements totaling $85,962. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Chicago District Office, the Department of Labors Office of Inspector General, and the Employee Benefits Security Administration.
October 7th, 2013On October 7, 2013, in the United States District Court for the Central District of Los Angeles, Tyrone Ricky Freeman, former President of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 6434 (located in Los Angeles, Calif.), was sentenced to 33 months of imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $123,539 and a $1,100 special assessment. On January 28, 2013, Freeman was convicted of four counts mail fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1341; one count making a false statement to a federally insured financial institution, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1014; and six counts of embezzlement of labor union assets, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office, Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, Employee Benefits Security Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Internal Revenue Service.
July 12th, 2013On July 12, 2013, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, Sofia Gonzalez, former bookkeeper for Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 925 (located in Vancouver, Wash.), was sentenced to five years of probation and was ordered to pay restitution totaling $40,087. On April 25, 2013, Gonzalez pled guilty to a single count of embezzling labor union assets, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Seattle District Office.
January 28th, 2013On January 28, 2013, in the United States District Court for the Central District of Los Angeles, a jury found Tyrone Ricky Freeman, former President of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Locals 6434 and 434-B (located in Los Angeles, Calif.), guilty of four counts of mail fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1341; seven counts of embezzlement and/or theft of labor union assets, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c); one count of making a false statement to a federally insured financial institution, in violation of 18 U.S.C 1014; and two counts of subscribing to a false tax return, in violation of 26 U.S.C. 7206(1) following a 10-day trial. On July 31, 2012, Freeman was indicted by a federal grand jury. The sentencing is scheduled for April 22, 2013. The guilty verdict follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office, Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, Employee Benefits Security Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Internal Revenue Service.
August 23rd, 2007On August 23, 2007, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Debra M. Timko and Danny L. Iverson, former Presidents of Service Employees Local 150, pled guilty to two counts of willful failure to maintain union records. Iverson and Timko failed to generate and maintain adequate and necessary records to establish that various payments made by Local 150 were proper under the union's policies. The payments included reimbursement of expenses incurred by Iverson and Timko that were not reimbursable due to their failure to comply with the union's policies. Under their plea agreements, Iverson and Timko agreed to make restitution totaling approximately $63,000. The guilty pleas follow an investigation by the OLMS Milwaukee District Office.
May 25th, 2007On May 25, 2007, in Superior Court for the District of Columbia, Quentin Womack, former Secretary-Treasurer of Service Employees International Union, Conference of Firemen and Oilers Local 1050, pled guilty to one count of second degree theft and was subsequently sentenced to 120 days suspended sentence, nine months of supervised probation and ordered to make restitution. On March 28, 2007, Womack was charged with one count of First Degree Theft for embezzling $3,326.80 from the union. The plea and sentencing follow an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.