{"id":8863,"date":"2015-01-28T19:59:36","date_gmt":"2015-01-29T03:59:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=8863"},"modified":"2015-02-10T19:18:06","modified_gmt":"2015-02-11T03:18:06","slug":"feds-four-family-members-stole-900000-labor-union-arrested","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=8863","title":{"rendered":"Feds: Four Family Members Who Stole $900,000 from Labor Union Arrested"},"content":{"rendered":"

RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA<\/strong> \u2013 Four family members were arrested Wednesday for \"Federal<\/a>allegedly stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from a labor union, according to officials.<\/p>\n

The four, \u00a0of Loma Linda, were named in a 40-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury on Jan. 21. They are charged with conspiring to embezzle from the health plan for the United Industrial and Service Workers of America Local 101<\/strong>, which serves members in the Inland Empire, officials said.<\/p>\n

Over the course of eight years, the defendants allegedly misappropriated a total of approximately $900,000 in union funds.<\/p>\n

If they are convicted of the charges, the four defendants would face decades in federal prison, authorities said.<\/p>\n

Those arrested Wednesday morning, all residents of Loma Linda, are:<\/strong><\/p>\n

John S. Romero<\/strong>, 68, the former president of USIWA;
\nEvelyn Romero<\/strong>, 66, John S. Romero\u2019s wife, who succeeded her husband as president of USIWA and served in that position until June 2014;
\nJohn J. Romero<\/strong>, 50, who is the son of John S. and Evelyn Romero and who is the former secretary\/treasurer of USIWA; and
\nDanae Romero<\/strong>, 37, who is the daughter of John S. and Evelyn Romero and who served as an officer in the union.<\/p>\n

The indictment charges the defendants with conspiring to embezzle assets from the UISWA Health Plan, which was a program intended to provide healthcare benefits to union members.<\/p>\n

The indictment includes filing false annual reports to the U.S. Department of Labor that didn’t disclose more than $100,000 in union revenues and disbursements. Also the defendants are accused of misusing the union and health plan assets.<\/p>\n

The defendants allowed a Romero-family member who was convicted of a felony drug crime to serve as an officer and employee of the union, officials said.<\/p>\n

The indictment alleges that some of the Health Plan’s bank accounts were held in the name of a construction company associated with the Health Plan’s third party administrator, through which the Romero family received payments without the knowledge of consent of the Health Plan’s second trustee.<\/p>\n

It is further alleged that the Romero family controlled the Health Plan’s reserve fund accounts and used those assets for their personal benefit.<\/p>\n

The defendants family allegedly used union funds for the following reasons:<\/strong><\/p>\n