Former President Of Law Enforcement Labor Union Sentenced In Manhattan Federal Court For Defrauding Union Of Funds

            Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JOHN EARVIN, the former president of the United Federation of Law Enforcement Officers (“UFLEO” or the “Union”), was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer to three years of probation, including six months of home confinement.  EARVIN pled guilty on June 19, 2015, to one count of wire fraud.  

            According to the Indictment and statements made in court:

            The UFLEO represents Special Inspectors employed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority of New York (“MTA”).  From February 2007 through April 2010, EARVIN was the Union’s president, supervising the affairs of the Union and managing the Union’s finances, including through sole control of the Union’s bank account (the “Account”).  Through his presidency, EARVIN perpetrated a scheme to defraud the Union by diverting Union dues payments deposited into the Account for his own benefit, principally by making hundreds of ATM withdrawals at off-track betting facilities and other locations and making personal use of the funds.  In perpetuating the scheme and preventing its discovery, EARVIN repeatedly lied to Union members about the Account by, for example, claiming that he could not provide an accounting of funds to Union members because an independent auditor was reviewing the Union’s finances.  As a result of the scheme, EARVIN defrauded the Union and its members of approximately $28,012.

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            EARVIN, 67, of New Rochelle, New York, was also sentenced to 600 hours of community service and ordered to pay restitution of $2,000 a month.

            U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara thanked the DOL-OLMS for its work in the investigation.

            The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carrie H. Cohen and Jennifer Gachiri are in charge of the prosecution.