Longtime former Philadelphia labor leader John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty and a codefendant have been convicted of using more than $650,000 in union funds for their personal use.

Former Philadelphia labor leader John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty and a codefendant were convicted Thursday of using more than $650,000 in union funds for personal use, marking the second conviction federal prosecutors have secured against the long-powerful figure since a sweeping 2019 indictment.

Dougherty, who led Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers for nearly three decades, was convicted of conspiracy, embezzlement and dozens of other charges by a jury after a monthlong trial. Prosecutors said he and codefendant Brian Burrows, Local 98′s former president, used the money for items including home renovations, concerts, groceries and even a cookie tray for the christening of a relative’s baby.

“This was a case where all the members who paid these people’s salaries basically had their pockets picked by them, and we’re glad we can finally hold them accountable,” U.S. Attorney Frank Costell was quoted as saying by The Philadelphia Inquirer, which reported the verdict.

  • cheese_greater@lemmy.world
    19·
    11 months ago

    How does anyone seriously believe they can get away with anything these days and want to live with that constant cognitive load/fear of getting caught and also for such banal “payoffz”

  • jeffw@lemmy.worldM
    15·
    11 months ago

    Fuck Johnny Doc lol. Dude made the mayor pass a beverage tax because he hated the Teamsters and wanted to hurt their business. Regardless of your thoughts on a sugary drink tax as a public health measure, that’s a shitty reason to push it into law.

  • BigWheelPowerBrakeSlider@lemmy.world
    7·
    11 months ago

    I support unions but if you commit a crime associated with the union, don’t let the steel door hit your ass on the way in. It would be refreshing if 30% of America felt the same about other criminal leaders.

  • blazera@kbin.social
    6·
    11 months ago

    Man justice is slow when it involves rich people facing consequences. Black man suspected of stealing a few hundred bucks, straight to jail awaiting trial. Rich guy steals hundreds of thousands of dollars? Yeah hes been found guilty but we’ll wait til sometime next year to think about putting him in jail.