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Teachers Union Chief Sentenced in Scandal [DC chief embezzled $4.6 million in teachers' dues]
AP / Las Vegas Sun ^ | Jan 30, 2004 | Brian Westley

Posted on 01/31/2004 5:37:33 AM PST by summer

January 30, 2004

Teachers Union Chief Sentenced in Scandal
By BRIAN WESTLEY
ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON (AP) - The former president of the Washington Teachers' Union was sentenced Friday to more than nine years in prison for a scam in which she embezzled millions of dollars in union dues.

The judge sentenced Barbara A. Bullock, 65, on charges of conspiracy and mail fraud in a case that prosecutors described as "nothing short of brazen greed."

U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon also ordered Bullock upon her release to spend three years in a halfway house and to perform 3,000 hours of community service. She also must repay $4.6 million to the union and turn over luxury items - including artwork, fur coats, and electronics - purchased with the stolen union funds.

Bullock pleaded guilty last fall.

Appearing solemn before the judge Friday, Bullock asked his forgiveness.

"I stand before you a broken and changed person," she said. "When I think about what happened - and I've had a year to do it - I would change things."

Prosecutors said the illegal activity took place over more than six years, after Bullock became the union's president in 1994. During that time, the attorneys said, Bullock siphoned money from the union to make a number of lavish purchases. The haul included $100,000 in season tickets to games of the NFL Washington Redskins and the NBA Washington Wizards.

The scam was first discovered in July 2002 during an audit by the union's parent organization, the American Federation of Teachers. The scandal didn't become public until late 2003 when the FBI seized a number of luxury items from the homes of several former union officials.

Two of those officials were indicted by a federal grand jury in November on charges they conspired to steal millions of dollars in union funds. Three other people have pleaded guilty to lesser charges, including Bullock's former chauffeur.

--


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; News/Current Events; US: District of Columbia; US: Florida; US: Washington
KEYWORDS: corruptdems; dc; scandal; teachersunion; unioncorruption; unions; wa; washingtondc; wtu
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Three other people have pleaded guilty to lesser charges, including Bullock's former chauffeur.

The butler did it.
1 posted on 01/31/2004 5:37:34 AM PST by summer
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To: All
BTW, I posted this to FL people so they know the corrupt head of the Dade County / Miami teachers union is not alone.
2 posted on 01/31/2004 5:39:27 AM PST by summer
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To: summer
Yet another reason why unions have out lived their usefulness.
3 posted on 01/31/2004 5:39:38 AM PST by NordP (Peace through Strength - W 2004 !!!)
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To: summer
This is probably, in no small part, a result of the great work of Bob Williams and the Evergreen Freedom Foundation. May the good guys, truth, and justice, always win out!
4 posted on 01/31/2004 5:41:31 AM PST by anniegetyourgun
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To: summer; Admin Moderator
Can you please change the parenthetical WA to DC so that people don't think it's Washington State?
5 posted on 01/31/2004 5:44:01 AM PST by rabidralph (What will be FR's panty-twist topic of the day?)
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To: summer
Treasurer of the Massachusetts Teacher's Union, MTA, was imprisoned last year for the same thing.
6 posted on 01/31/2004 5:47:17 AM PST by billorites (freepo ergo sum)
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To: summer
in ohio, the head of the state teachers' retirement program was guilty of misusing funds, purchasing expensive artwork for their offices, giving themselves huge bonuses, lost MILLIONS of dollars, etc. the head of the union simply reprimanded those folks in charge; the guilty parties weren't even asked to resign until there was an uproar from state legislators and teachers.

underlying all this moral superiority is the notion that nothing is really bad or wrong. as long as you are a liberal, you can't really do anything WRONG, nor would you ever really MEAN to hurt anyone, because your HEART is in the right place.

a crook is a crook.

7 posted on 01/31/2004 5:58:30 AM PST by wildwood
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To: xsmommy
DC-area Schools Ping.
8 posted on 01/31/2004 5:59:53 AM PST by martin_fierro (I've been evah so clevah, mummsy)
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To: wildwood
underlying all this moral superiority is the notion that nothing is really bad or wrong. as long as you are a liberal, you can't really do anything WRONG, nor would you ever really MEAN to hurt anyone, because your HEART is in the right place.

You are absolutely right! In all my years, living in the DC area, I have never heard a newscaster or a radio reporter blame any of the local government's failures on the fact that democrats are in charge of everything. People just shrug their shoulders and elect more democrats.

9 posted on 01/31/2004 6:06:43 AM PST by rabidralph (What will be FR's panty-twist topic of the day?)
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To: summer
It's good to be Queen!

Items Seized From Barbara Bullock's Home

288 piece Tiffany Silverware 
Trotter 535 treadmill 
William Tolliver artwork, semi-nude female 
Five William Yeoward Glasses 
13 William Yeoward Glasses, One William Yeoward bowl 
Mink hat, no identifying marks 
Baccarat vase with spiral steps on side 
Crystal punch bowl 
Two bronze candelabras 
Onkyo 6-disc CD changer, model DX-C540, with remote 
Onkyo receiver, model TX-8410, with remote 
Business cards, receipts for return to Nordstorm's of St. John 
Washington Teachers' Union credit card for Office Depot 
Three fur coats: 1) Rosendorf Evans, 2) Sitka, 3) Miller's furs mahogany bomber 
Royal crown derby English bone china set 
Four Fendi handbags 
Two Judith Lieber handbags; two Kielstein Cord handbags 
One Gucci, two Dolce Gabena, one Bally, one Ferragamo, one Kielstein Cord handbag(s) 
Two Saint Louis wine glasses 
William Yeoman crystal: Six wine glasses with grape pattern 
William Yeoman crystal "Bowl with Plate" 
Two serving spoons; set of four hotel silver napkin rings 
Two Chanel handbags 
Three Fendi, one Louis Vuitton, one Dolce, two Kielstein handbags 
One Kleinberg & Sherrill, one Escala, one Kate Spade, one Bally handbag 
Large serving plate 
Serving Bowl 
Herend brand serving plate 
Herend brand bowl with top 
St. John's collection clothing 
Herend brand vase 
Twelve fishbone Herend plates 
Red folder containing WTU correspondence, two blue folders with WTU membership info 
Photographs including paintings, sculptures, six place settings 
Four Yves Delorme bath towels and three wash cloths 
Copy of lease from 1974 for 1221 Massachusetts #1021 
Two Nordstrom scarves 
St. John's collection clothing 
Eleven boxes of shoes: Three Bruno Magli, Eight Salvatore Ferragamo 
Myong Lim clothing and one Eskandar article 
Large butterfly pin 
Box of St. John clothing 
Tiffany white pearl necklace 
Myong Lim clothing 
Saint Louis goblets (two) in a box 
William Yeoward - six glasses in a box 
Dolce & Gabbana handbag 
18K gold elephant pin 
9mm white baroque pearl necklace and 8 1/2 mm gray baroque necklace, both from tiny jewel box 
Labradorite necklace 
Myong Lim clothing 
Fax transmitted to WTU containing a resume 
Jeweled Christmas tree broach from Neiman Marcus 
Chanel scarf 
St. John collection clothing outfit 
Two Sun Trust bank registers 
Myong Lim & St. John's clothing 
Box - Myong Lim & St. John's clothing 
Seven pair Salvatore Ferragamo and two pair Bruno Magli shoes 
One Fendi handbag 
Buccellati silver smiths anti-tarnish bag 
Silver and gold Tiffany ring 
Chanel earrings 
One St. John, one Nordstrom, two Amalfi, two Via Spiga, two Bruno Magli, two Salvatore Ferragamo pairs of shoes 
Ramee Art - African art - watercolor of two ladies 
Eight English plates with green border, flower in the middle 
Silver Tiffany ring 
Chanel necklace 
Flower table settings 
Herend vase 
Four egg-shaped table settings 
Tolliver print 
Two small leaf-shaped plates, Herend brand 
Herend bowl 
Herend brand salad dish 
Five William Yeoward brand flute glasses 
Tree-shaped Herend brand bowl 
Six Herend tea cups 
Herend brand large serving plate 
Gray Herend bowl 
Eight small Herend plates 
Herend brand teapot with lid 
Six tea plates 
Ten Herend plates 
Check book duplicates 
Check book Duplicates 
Bank statements and check book duplicates 
Two Donald Pilner, one Stuart Weitzman, one Bruno Magli, seven Salvatore Ferragamo pairs of shoes 
William Yeoward glasses 
Tax returns, receipts, invoices 
Herend brand serving plate/bowl set 
Six Herend brand plates 
Notes and list of contributions 
Silver Tiffany watch 
William Yeoward glassware 
Three St. Louis wine glasses 
Tax documents 
Nine wigs 
Check book duplicates and receipt 
Chanel handbag 
Apartment notice of rent increase 
Tax documentation 
Sun Trust bank account statements 
Invoices and receipts 
Two boxes Chanel designer handbags 
Four Chanel handbags 
One Chanel handbag 
Day planner 
Joseph Holston Jr. "Function at the Junction," Ramee Art Gallery 
Six William Yeoman Plates 
Shoes bearing Nordsrom price tags 
Painting from Ramee Art Gallery, log #034, "Child Playing Guitar" 
Notepad with AFT notes, transaction information, Sun Trust deposit receipt 
Receipt from William Tolliver's Art Gallery & certificate of authenticity 
2001 W-2, SSA correspondence, North Carolina deed of trust, Receipts, TWU Constitution and by-laws 
Two brown wigs 
Herend brand large serving dish in Neiman Marcus box 
Joseph Holston Jr. "The Art Show," Ramee Art Gallery 
Bose subwoofer 
Four Bose speakers 
Myong Lim clothing 
Herend red elephant 
Herend green rabbit 
Herend blue ducks 
Herend green fruit dish 
Palm Vx 
Three pairs of shoes: one Sperry, one Bruno Magli, one Stuart Weitzman 
Mayor Anthony Williams stamp 
Receipt from Nordstrom; price tag from Neiman Marcus
One double Barrel shotgun

Items Seized From Gwen Hemphill's Home

Phone numbers, notebook with references to investigation, postal receipt 
Orchard Bank Master Card receipt, loan application, Home Depot receipt 
Bank statements, credit card receipts 
Onkyo CD changer, cassette player and receiver 
Burlwood writing desk 
Business cards, credit cards and receipts 
Low tag list (veh. Ownership), fax with Erika Bullock's Clark name, Charles Schwab statements, phone list, list of contributors 
RCA warranty, Pentagon Federal Credit Union loan correspondence 
desk pad 
folder with Business Inc., sales receipts, disks, fax journal and documents 
Articles of incorporation of GLT, Inc., corporate records book of GLT, Inc. 
Verizon bill - WTU, misc. business cards 
box of misc. receipts 
notebook full of Charles Schwab account information 
Louis Vuitton handbag 
WTU related documents, bills, invoices (FedEX, Bell Atlantic, etc.) receipts, business cards, memo regarding WTU Staff Retirement Plan, WTU mailing list, advertising book: Louis Vuitton 
Tolliver Artwork - "Picking Cotton" 
misc. business cards, phone numbers, check duplicates, receipts, misc. 
William Tolliver Painting - "Sunday Service" 
Three bronze candle holders, labeled "a teleflower gift" 
Large silver candle holder from Restoration Hardwood 
videotape labeled "My Alaskan Vacation 2001" 
various receipts 
Tombolini Wool Suit 
Artwork - Ramee Art Gallery, "Nassau Buggy" 
Artwork - Ramee Art Gallery, "Just the Two of Us" 
Artwork - Ramee Art Gallery, "Bus Stop" 
Artwork - Ramee Art Gallery, "Symphonic Strings" 
Artwork - Ramee Art Gallery, "Night Dreamin'" 
Artwork - Ramee Art Gallery, "Rythmic Blues" 
receipts, invoices (including receipts for electronic items seized in item 35) 
Onkyo receiver 
Sony Hi-Fi VCR Plus, Onkyo Dual Cassette player (refer to receipts in item 33) 
LARGE plasma flat screen Panasonic TV, connecting bracket, 4 screws and washers 
Herend Brand China 
Two Rolodex card files 
Two more Rolodex card files 
WTU phone lists, vendor phone list, misc. statements and bills 
fur coat 
business cards 
Ramee Art Gallery documentation 
IRS correspondence, misc. statements, receipts, Burbach catalog, notebook with phone numbers, appraisal for fur coat and diamond bracelet, WTU Staff Retirement plan 
Two Bose speakers on stands 
Bose speakers 
Electronic organizer 
various check registers, address book, invoices, receipts, bills, Western Union receipt, $2000 donation receipt, request for credit report, Charles Schwab statements, WTU Roster, various bank statements from AB, Capitol One 
Large Bose speaker 
Mobe Pearl earrings 
Artwork - Ramee Art Gallery, "Ladies Holding Plates" 
Artwork - Ramee Art Gallery, "Sheer Essence II" 
Laptop computer and case 
misc. receipts, canceled checks, receipt/appraisal for fur coat, paychecks, appointment book for 2001, misc. notes with phone numbers 
AT&T telephone bill, unsigned WTU check to Verizon Wireless in the amount of $5795.83 
Business cards and receipts 
Notepad containing misc. WTU information 
Misc. receipts, paycheck stubs, misc. bank/checking account information 
address/phone list and roster 
Three Dooney and Bourke purses 
Two Chanel purses, 1 Louis Vuitton purse 
Misc. credit card statements, WTU statements, bank statements, Employee W2 statement 
22 INCH Mikhail Darafeev barstool with padded seat 
22 INCH Mikhail Darafeev barstool with padded seat 
22 INCH Mikhail Darafeev barstool with padded seat 
22 INCH Mikhail Darafeev barstool with padded seat 
Four two-piece St. John Ladies Suits 
Four more two-piece St. John Ladies Suits 
Three more two-piece St. John Ladies Suits 
Mink fur hat 
Onkyo 6 CD changer 
1 St. John Ladies 3 piece suit, 3 single pieces 
WTU check to FedEX 
WTU correspondence, day planner 
registration, sales invoice, repair invoices 
checkbooks, receipts, invoices, bills 
two Bose speakers on stands 
misc. records, bank records, canceled checks, tax docs, SS statements, WTU payroll journals 
WTU mail, containing bills, invoices, payroll statements, etc. 
Painting - William Tolliver "Woman with Wine Glass" 
vehicle repair documents, notebook with phone numbers 
bank records, receipts 
WTU credit card statements, Ramee Gallery invoices 
receipts for Teachers Union, bills, notebook with names and telephone numbers 
receipts 
Versace leather belt 
Artwork - Ramee Art Gallery - Ballerina 
Artwork - Ramee Art Gallery - Ballerina bending over 
Artwork - Ramee Art Gallery - "The 3 R's" 
Artwork - Ramee Art Gallery - "Concentration" 
Artwork - Ramee Art Gallery 
envelope with writing on it, including references to "Amalgamated" 
receipts, statements, WTU correspondence, check stubs, WTU bank statements, vouchers, bag of receipts 
Bank statements, credit cards, receipts, business cards 
receipts and bank statements 
investment receipts, contact list 
resignation letter, bank statement 
bank records 
shredded paper from shredder basket 
Computer CPU, keyboard 
Flatscreen computer monitor, cords 
Computer printer 
Onkyo DVD player (see receipt) 
Artwork, Ramee Art Gallery 
Denon audio/video receiver 
JVC DVD Player 
Panasonic VCR 
JVC remote control 
Panasonic remote control 
Three remote controls to items seized from entertainment center 
Large pearl necklace, Continental Jeweler's case 
Bank Records 
Receipts, canceled checks, bank statements 
receipts, invoices, name/phone lists 
Accordion file with receipts, including receipts for Teachers' Union media equipment 
Dress - Yolana Loreme 
Four Bose speakers 
AMEX summary of accounts 
strand of pearls, white 
remote control for plasma screen TV and bolts 
Safe deposit box keys, box 1592 
American Express corporate credit card (WTU)

10 posted on 01/31/2004 6:13:01 AM PST by martin_fierro (I've been evah so clevah, mummsy)
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Bullock (l) and Hemphill

11 posted on 01/31/2004 6:20:57 AM PST by martin_fierro (I've been evah so clevah, mummsy)
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To: martin_fierro
What? No Melmac?
12 posted on 01/31/2004 6:24:25 AM PST by Tijeras_Slim (Come see the violence inherent in the system!)
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To: summer; Freee-dame
The scam was first discovered in July 2002 during an audit by the union's parent organization, the American Federation of Teachers.

I wonder if this would have ever been uncovered if the parent union was the NEA?

13 posted on 01/31/2004 6:32:49 AM PST by maica (Mainstream America Is Conservative America)
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To: Tijeras_Slim
Bakelite for those two.
14 posted on 01/31/2004 6:34:02 AM PST by martin_fierro (I've been evah so clevah, mummsy)
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To: summer
Are either of these two married?

(To men, that is.)

15 posted on 01/31/2004 6:38:18 AM PST by niteowl77
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To: summer
"When I think about what happened - and I've had a year to do it - I would change things."

Everyone would change things after getting caught.

16 posted on 01/31/2004 6:57:40 AM PST by Freee-dame
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To: martin_fierro
What about the 5 gallons of Musk (ox) Perfume?
17 posted on 01/31/2004 8:51:58 AM PST by VMI70 (...but two Wrights made an airplane)
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To: martin_fierro
WOW!

Live better, work union.
18 posted on 01/31/2004 9:10:16 AM PST by coloradan (Hence, etc.)
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To: martin_fierro
Dear Lord, who did this woman think she was, Hillary! Clinton?
19 posted on 01/31/2004 9:19:33 AM PST by MamaLucci
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To: rabidralph
just wait they will catch that bunch in time.

vashon
20 posted on 01/31/2004 10:23:22 AM PST by camas
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