PHILADELPHIA, PA — A shocking twist hits the City of Brotherly Love as three former employees of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 98, find themselves on the receiving end of justice. Charged and sentenced for pilfering union funds for personal use, this nefarious trio now faces the consequences of their actions.
Lording over Local 98’s Apprentice Training Fund as the Training Director since 2008, Michael Neill, 57, thought he could pull the wool over everyone’s eyes. He pleaded guilty this week to the embezzlement of labor union assets, theft from a union employee benefit plan, and producing false federal income tax returns back in December 2022.
Neill sneakily facilitated the payment of construction and maintenance works at his home, a union pub he partly owned, and other personal properties. His crafty stratagem involved the false invoicing of these expenses from May 2013 through December 2015. The courts have now sentenced him to 13 months in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $10,000, plus a mandatory special assessment of $600. Ordered to make restitution of $92,733.67, Neill also must forfeit the sum of $25,259.29.
Marita Crawford, 54, Local 98’s Political Director since November 2011, was similarly entangled in the scandal. Pleading guilty to four counts of wire fraud, Crawford had been using her union-provided credit card for personal expenses. To cover her tracks, she submitted false business-related expense reports to the union. Moreover, she admitted to illegally using funds from a political action committee (PAC) called “New Gen1” for personal purchases.
The courts handed Crawford a sentence of 15 days in prison, followed by three months of home confinement. She is also required to pay a $2,000 fine and a $400 mandatory special assessment, with an order to make restitution of $11,903 and forfeit the sum of $2,777.63.
Lastly, Niko Rodriguez, 32, a former Local 98 member serving primarily as a driver and personal assistant to the Local 98’s Business Manager, was part of the same unscrupulous web. Rodriguez admitted to using union credit cards to buy personal goods for himself and for his boss. For these actions, he has been sentenced to three years’ probation, 80 hours of community service, a $5,000 fine, and a $600 mandatory special assessment. He is also ordered to pay restitution of $13,491 and forfeit the sum of $1,079.55.
Each one of these individuals disregarded their proper roles and violated the trust placed in them by their hardworking fellows. U.S. Attorney Romero emphasized that union members deserve to trust that their dues are being used responsibly, and when that promise is broken, the perpetrators will be held accountable.
“In using Local 98 funds to pay for personal expenses, these defendants broke the law, and they stole from the union’s rank and file,” said Romero. “Every one of those hardworking members needs to be able to trust that the dues they dutifully pay are in fact being used for the union’s benefit, as intended. When that doesn’t happen, when money is unlawfully misdirected, we and our partners won’t hesitate to step in and hold those responsible to account.”
This case stands as a stark reminder that the arms of justice are long, and the watchful eyes of law enforcement agencies, such as the FBI, the IRS-Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Department of Labor, and the Pennsylvania State Police, are vigilant.
Their dedication ensures that individuals exploiting their union positions for personal gain will be identified and held accountable, reinforcing the integrity of labor organizations and protecting the trust of workers. As further hearings loom for other co-defendants, let this serve as a wakeup call to those who might contemplate similar actions.
In a city built on brotherhood, trust should not be a luxury but a given. For the hardworking members of Local 98 and other unions, this case serves as a powerful reminder: when power is misused, it’s not just wires that can burn – reputations can too.
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