The International Brotherhood of Teamsters has taken control of its Englewood Cliffs, NJ, local, after accusing its leaders of defrauding the union out of $144,000.
Teamsters President James P. Hoffa placed Local 815 in trusteeship earlier this week. He removed President Larry Plotnick and Secretary-Treasurer Benjamin Camadeco.
Hoffa's actions are the result of a six-month investigation by the Independent Review Board, created in 1992 as part of a consent decree to investigate allegations of union corruption.
"An investigation of the local union has uncovered a systematic pattern of financial mismanagement by the officers of this local union," Hoffa said. The Independent Review Board concluded that Plotnick and Camadeco engaged in a long-running scheme to defraud the local into reimbursing them for questionable meal reimbursements. The Board also questioned lax financial controls, including Plotnick signing blank checks and the fact that Camadeco's $176,000 salary is paid from an account not subject to review by union trustees.
The Bergen Record contacted Plotnick and Camadeco, who denied the charges. Plotnick resigned from the $99,000-a-year job last week.
This is the fifth local in the nation to be placed in trusteeship since Hoffa became president in March.
Teamsters President James P. Hoffa placed Local 815 in trusteeship earlier this week. He removed President Larry Plotnick and Secretary-Treasurer Benjamin Camadeco.
Hoffa's actions are the result of a six-month investigation by the Independent Review Board, created in 1992 as part of a consent decree to investigate allegations of union corruption.
"An investigation of the local union has uncovered a systematic pattern of financial mismanagement by the officers of this local union," Hoffa said. The Independent Review Board concluded that Plotnick and Camadeco engaged in a long-running scheme to defraud the local into reimbursing them for questionable meal reimbursements. The Board also questioned lax financial controls, including Plotnick signing blank checks and the fact that Camadeco's $176,000 salary is paid from an account not subject to review by union trustees.
The Bergen Record contacted Plotnick and Camadeco, who denied the charges. Plotnick resigned from the $99,000-a-year job last week.
This is the fifth local in the nation to be placed in trusteeship since Hoffa became president in March.
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