Former Treasurer Of Labor Union Pleads Guilty To Embezzling Union Dues And Filing False Report With Department Of Labor

Jeffrey Magelitz, 44, of Chester, Illinois, entered pleas of guilty to a two-count Indictment that charged embezzlement and theft from a labor union and for filing a false report with the Department of Labor, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Donald S. Boyce, announced today. Magelitz was the former treasurer of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Local 415 in Vienna, Illinois from January of 2012 through June of 2013. AFSCME Local 415 represents employees at the Vienna Correction Center, located in Vienna, IL Magelitz embezzled approximately $30,000 and prepared and cashed unauthorized checks for himself and forged the signatures of the president and vice-president of the union on the checks. Magelitz also submitted a false annual report for the union which contained the forged signature of the president and falsely reported the amount of money that he received during the year. Magelitz faces a prison sentence of up to 6 years, a fine of up to $350,000, and up to 3 years’ supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for December 7, 2016.

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