Labor union president arrested for embezzling over $280,000 in union funds

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 41-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been taken into federal custody for alleged embezzlement from a local labor union, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Authorities have arrested Robert Cirilo. He is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jason B. Libby at 9:45 a.m. Aug. 6.

According to the indictment returned July 31, Cirilo was the president of the United Steelworkers Local 13-1647 in Corpus Christi. While serving in that role, he allegedly used a union debit card to make approximately 430 unauthorized personal purchases and ATM cash withdrawals.

The indictment charges Cirilo with 13 counts of wire fraud and one count of embezzlement from a labor organization.

If convicted, Cirilo faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine on each of the wire fraud counts. He also faces up to five years and up to a $10,000 fine upon conviction of embezzlement.

The FBI and Department of Labor’s Office of Labor Management Standards conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tyler Foster and John Marck are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.