William Davis, a former local chapter president for the American Federation of Government Employees, was sentenced on Wednesday for embezzling $150,000 in funds. The 56 year-old New York resident will serve 15 months in prison after pleading guilty in federal court to stealing from the union.
The AFGE is the largest national labor union, representing 670,000 federal workers. Davis’ chapter, Local 1119, covers 300 employees of the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Montrose, N.Y.
While serving as president, Davis “used a debit card for the Union Bank Account issued to a deceased former Union officer to make hundreds of charges and cash withdrawals for non-Union expenses,” according to the Justice Department’s report. Ironically, the AFGE’s website lists “identity theft protection” as one of its “exclusive benefits.”
In addition to swiping the card for a variety of purchases including men’s clothing and electronics at retailers such as Apple, RadioShack, Best Buy and Walmart, Davis also bought money orders, which he used to pay his monthly rent.
To mask the misuse, Davis falsified annual financial disclosure documents throughout his term as president, annotating just $7,000 of the spending.
A representative from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York told The Daily Caller that the investigation into Davis began after another union staffer discovered the abuse and reported it.
In addition to time in prison, the court ordered that Davis repay the entire $150,000.