IRON WORKERS (IAIW)
Two Intl. Union Bosses Settled Power Dispute w/ Embezzled Payoffs
A fed. grand jury in Wash. D.C. issued yet another
indictment against ex-Iron Worker officials Jake West and LeRoy Worley
on August 7. The indictment adds more than $200,000 to the amount allegedly
embezzled from the IAIW, and provides new details on the deal between West
and Worley.
West and Worley had both held offices in the Intl. Assn. of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers since 1989 -- West as General Pres., Worley as General Secy. By 1998, acc. to the indictment, West saw Worley as a challenge to his position in the union and wanted him out of the way. In Nov. of that year, they allegedly made a deal. On the 18th, Worley resigned his position in the IAIW. At the same time, West allegedly arranged for Worley to receive more than $37,000 from the union's pension fund that Worley had not worked for the union long enough to be entitled to. Those facts were previously laid out in a May 17 indictment.
Acc. to the new indictment, West arranged in Dec. ‘98 for IAIW staff to issue $14,606 in weekly salary checks to the already retired Worley, as well as $2,450 in "per diem" business expense checks. In January 1999, acc. to the indictment, Worley demanded his 1999 "salary" and "per diem" payment in one lump sum, which West then arranged in the amount of $200,142.
West and Worley were indicted on one count of Conspiracy in violation of U.S.C. 18, Sec. 371, one count of union embezzlement in violation of Title 29, Sec. 501(c) and Title 28, Sec. 2, and one count of pension embezzlement in violation of Title 16, Sec 664 and 2. West and Worley are the 8th and 9th individuals to be snared in the fed. investigation in which other ex-Intl. officials, a bookkeeper, and an accountant have pled guilty to embezzlement and efforts to cover up the thefts. [U.S.A.O. D.C., 8/7/02, DOL, 8/14/02]
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