LOS ANGELES (AP) - The former president of a Southern California labor union who stole nearly $800,000 from the organzation’s health plan was sentenced Tuesday to 12 years in federal prison.
John S. Romero, 74, of Loma Linda, was sentenced after being found guilty last year of conspiracy, theft in connection with health care and making a false statement to a government agency. An April hearing is scheduled to determine how much restitution he owes to victims.
Prosecutors said that from 2008 to 2014, Romero embezzled money while president of Colton-based United Industrial Services Workers of America and trustee of its health plan trust fund. He diverted some money through a Nevada shell company.
He used the money to pay legal expenses involving cases against himself and his son, paid his family salaries as union officials, paid off his son’s car loan and stashed money in a secret bank account that Romero used to make payments to his mistress, prosecutors said.
Romero’s son, daughter and ex-wife earlier pleaded guilty to criminal charges. The women received probation and the son was sentenced to time served in prison, prosecutors said.
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