Former Bookkeeper of Labor Union Charged with Embezzling Union Dues

Carolyn Hall, 53, of McLeansboro, Illinois, was indicted by a federal grand jury in East St. Louis, Illinois, for embezzlement and theft from a labor union. The indictment alleges that Carolyn Hall was the bookkeeper for Laborer's Local 1197, part of the Laborer's International Union of North America and from July of 2012 through February of 2014 she took $26,491 of cash receipts from members' dues payments and used the funds for personal use. Carolyn Hall faces a prison sentence of up to 5 years, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to 3 years’ supervised release if convicted of the charges.

An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge and is entitled to a fair trial at which the Government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor Management Standards, with the assistance of Laborer's Local 1197. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Norman R. Smith.