Union Official Sentenced for Stealing Union Funds
Mercer Used More Than $50,000 Dollars of Union Funds for Her Own Personal Use
ATLANTA - Rebecca Mercer, a former IRS employee who served as Treasurer of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) Chapter 284, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Richard W. Story for stealing over $50,000 from the NTEU.
“Labor union officials occupy positions of trust and have a duty to manage the funds and property of the union solely for the benefit of the union and its members,” said U.S. DOL-OLMS District Director H. Craig Neel. “The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Labor-Management Standards is committed to protecting union members from internal financial abuses and ensuring that labor unions maintain high fiduciary standards.”
Rebecca Mercer, 40, of Statham, Georgia was sentenced to 1 year and 1 month in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution of $52,822.22. Mercer was convicted of these charges on June 20, 2012, upon her plea of guilty to wire fraud charges.
According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges and other information presented in court, while Mercer was employed by the Internal Revenue Service as a tax examining technician in Atlanta, she served as Treasurer of the NTEU Chapter 284 from October 2005 through July 21, 2008. As the Treasurer, Mercer was issued a debit/credit card by NTEU which was to be used for authorized union purchases only. Mercer was prohibited from making personal purchases on her NTEU debit/credit card. Despite the prohibition on personal purchases, between July 2006 and June 2008, Mercer used her NTEU debit/credit to make at least 169 unauthorized purchases and withdrawals which totaled more than $50,000. Mercer resigned from the IRS on October 22, 2008, after the fraud was discovered.
This case was investigated by the United States Department of Labor -Management Standards.
Assistant United States Attorney Bernita Malloy prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Information Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the HomePage for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia is www.justice.gov/usao/gan.
