Two Charged With Stealing $150,000 From Union To Illegally Fund Politics
If convicted, the former union head and his co-defendant may be sentenced up to 20 years in prison.
By Peter List, Editor | May 14, 2024
The former head of District 1199C, a subsidiary union of the National Union of Hospital and Healthcare Employees, which represents thousands of workers throughout the greater Philadelphia area, and a political consultant were charged with stealing more than $150,000 from the union.
According to Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry, charges have been filed against Christen Woods and Tracy Hardy for a theft scheme involving the diversion of funds from District 1199C to Hardy’s political consulting firm.
Woods, while serving as a union executive officer, approved payments — from union coffers — for Hardy’s unlicensed construction company, according to the Office of Attorney General’s joint investigation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Hardy and Woods are alleged to have deceived the union’s executive board by creating and submitting fake bids in the name of other companies to fraudulently justify paying Hardy an inflated price for the union’s bar renovation. Almost all of the funds paid to Hardy’s construction company were immediately funneled to Hardy’s political consulting firm to fund political work leading up to the 2019 Democratic Primary election.
Woods, 39, and Hardy, 51, are charged with using this scheme to circumvent Pennsylvania campaign finance law and U.S. Department of Labor union reporting requirements.
“These two men are accused of intentionally defrauding a workers’ union with an elaborate scheme to steal and divert money for political purposes,” Attorney General Henry stated. “The law is very clear about how unions can support candidates and their campaigns. My office will seek to hold those accountable who violate the rules.”
If convicted, they could be sentenced to as many as 20 years behind bars on the most serious counts, the Philadelphia Inquirer noted on Tuesday.
The Philadelphia Inquirer has more of the backstory (paywalled) here.
Related:
View the charging documents here