Union Boss Steals Money, Wins Lottery...Then Goes to Jail

A union boss steals money from his union, wins the lottery, then goes to jail...

A federal judge in Cedar Rapids has handed down a 21-month prison sentence to a man who embezzled more than $52,000 from a labor union and later won $30,000 in the Iowa State Lottery.

In passing sentence Friday U.S. District Court Chief Judge Linda Reade also ordered 40-year-old Thomas Jon Witham of Mason City to reimburse the union.

Witham pleaded guilty in September to one count of embezzlement from a labor union.

Prosecutors say the embezzlement occurred between 2002 and 2008, and noted that Witham did not attempt to repay any of the money even after he won the lottery.

Tough luck, Tom, you've made it to the Union Corruption Corner

Another Union Boss Busted for Embezzlement

According to the Associated Press, another union boss has been busted for embezzling from his union.

The former head of a union representing mailroom employees of New York-based newspapers has been charged with embezzling more than $200,000.

Wayne Mitchell was expected to surrender Friday to federal authorities in Manhattan.

Court papers accused Mitchell of embezzling the money from the Communication Workers of America Union, otherwise known as New York Mailers Union No. 6, from 2004 to 2008. The union represents mailroom employees of The New York Times, the New York Post and the Daily News, among others.

The New York Post adds:

In the complaint against Mitchell, authorities said the union boss admitted to Department of Labor investigators that he received $250,000 in unauthorized payroll checks between Oct. 1, 2004, and May 30, 2008, and that he "embezzled additional union monies by falsely claiming personal expenses as union-related bills."

Another case for the Union Corruption Corner.