Former Union Official Charged with Embezzling Money from Union

ALBUQUERQUE – Leonard Bridge, II, 43, of Albuquerque, N.M., was arraigned this morning on an indictment charging him with 20 counts of embezzlement of assets from a labor organization.  Bridge entered a not guilty plea and was placed on conditions of release pending trial, which has yet to be scheduled.

The indictment alleges 20 separate occasions of embezzlement between April 2009 and Aug. 2011 by Bridge of money belonging to the International Union of Elevator Constructors, Local 131.  According to the indictment, Bridge perpetrated his embezzlement scheme by writing checks on the Union’s bank account, making case withdrawals with a debit card, and making cash withdrawals from the bank account.  Bridge was employed as the business manager of the Union from Jan. 2009 through Nov. 2011.

If convicted, Bridge faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine on each of the 20 counts in the indictment.

This case was investigated by the Office of Labor-Management Standards of the U.S. Department of Labor and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Paige Messec.