Former United Auto Workers President Gary Jones was charged with embezzlement and defrauding the U.S. government as part of a multiyear corruption probe into one of America's most prominent unions, according to documents unsealed Thursday.
The documents suggests more charges of union officials could follow as federal prosecutors identified four other unnamed co-conspirators in the scheme that allegedly included embezzling more than $1 million of union funds.
Jones resigned from leading the union effective Nov. 20 - the same day the UAW International Executive Board started the process under the union's constitution to remove him from office.
Jones began a leave of absence from the union starting Nov. 3, days after he was most recently implicated as being part of the ongoing probe that has led to convictions of 13 other people, including 10 affiliated with the union and three Fiat Chrysler executives.
Federal officials previously said Jones, who was elected UAW president in June 2018, was one of a handful of union leaders who conspired to "Embezzle, steal, and unlawfully and willfully abstract" more than $1.5 million in cash and assets for personal gain to fuel "Lavish lifestyles."
In recent months, the probe has widened to top union leaders unaffiliated with the training centers being involved in embezzlement of union funds, money laundering, and other illegal activities.
UAW Vice President Rory Gamble, who oversees the union's Ford department, is serving as acting president of the union.
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/05/ex-uaw-president-jones-charged-as-federal-corruption-probe-escalates.html
The documents suggests more charges of union officials could follow as federal prosecutors identified four other unnamed co-conspirators in the scheme that allegedly included embezzling more than $1 million of union funds.
Jones resigned from leading the union effective Nov. 20 - the same day the UAW International Executive Board started the process under the union's constitution to remove him from office.
Jones began a leave of absence from the union starting Nov. 3, days after he was most recently implicated as being part of the ongoing probe that has led to convictions of 13 other people, including 10 affiliated with the union and three Fiat Chrysler executives.
Federal officials previously said Jones, who was elected UAW president in June 2018, was one of a handful of union leaders who conspired to "Embezzle, steal, and unlawfully and willfully abstract" more than $1.5 million in cash and assets for personal gain to fuel "Lavish lifestyles."
In recent months, the probe has widened to top union leaders unaffiliated with the training centers being involved in embezzlement of union funds, money laundering, and other illegal activities.
UAW Vice President Rory Gamble, who oversees the union's Ford department, is serving as acting president of the union.
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/05/ex-uaw-president-jones-charged-as-federal-corruption-probe-escalates.html
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