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Press Release

New London Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Embezzlement and Theft of Labor Union Assets

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Iowa

DAVENPORT, IA – A New London man was sentenced on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, to 24 months in prison for embezzlement and theft of labor union assets.

According to court records, James Darin Boatman, 53, the former president of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 617 Union, embezzled and stole union funds for his personal use. UFCW Local 617 members include production workers and skilled trade workers at the Conagra plant located in Fort Madison. Investigation revealed that Boatman, the president of the Union from 2010 until 2019, set up a credit card in the Union’s name, without authorization, and from at least May 2017 to August 2019 used the card for personal expenses, including vacations to Florida, large repairs on his personal vehicle, and to pay for attorney representation for an unrelated matter. Additionally, Boatman wrote checks from the Union funds to cover personal expenses and to pay himself for unauthorized lost time for periods of time Boatman claimed he was conducting Union business. Boatman pled guilty and agreed to pay $74,231.34 in restitution to the Union.

Following his prison term, Boatman was ordered to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The United States Department of Labor and Office of Labor-Management Standards investigated the case.

Contact

MacKenzie Tubbs
Public Information Officer 
515-473-9300
USAIAS.PAO@usdoj.gov 

Updated April 19, 2023

Topic
Financial Fraud