former executive director of alaska nurses association (AaNA) sentenced for embezzlement of labor union assets
Anchorage, Alaska – United States Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced today, July 22, 2010, that Thomas Renkes, the former Executive Director of the Alaska Nurses Association (AaNA), has been sentenced in federal court in Anchorage to three years of probation for embezzlement from a labor organization. He was also fined $2,000 and ordered to pay restitution of $22,546.77 to AaNA.
United States District Judge John W. Sedwick imposed the sentence on Renkes, 51, following a guilty plea and the Court’s acceptance of a plea agreement. Judge Sedwick held that Mr. Renkes had abused a position of trust, and noted that the harm caused by Mr. Renkes crimes was more than financial for those who trusted him.
According to information presented to the Court by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Feldis, Renkes knowingly and willfully stole and embezzled $22,546.77 of AaNA’s funds by making more than 80 separate unauthorized credit card charges for personal expenses and purchases, including paying for personal legal expenses and personal travel for his family members. In order to hide and to justify his improper charges, Renkes submitted fraudulent check requests to AaNA that contained false and misleading justifications for these personal and improper expenditures. AaNA has approximately 1000 members in the State of Alaska, and Renkes was hired in October of 2007, to provide guidance and to represent the interests of the organization, and to manage its headquarters in Anchorage.
Ms. Loeffler commended the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards, and Investigators Donald E. Dachenhausen, III and Chad Markham for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Renkes.
