Officials have charged the president of an employees’ union with mail fraud for allegedly stealing $22,000 from the union at the Letterkenny Army Depot in Chambersburg.
John Kauffman Jr., 36, of Maugansville, Md., allegedly took the funds between September 2013 and July 2014 from the National Federation of Federal Employees Local Lodge 1442, U.S. Attorney Peter Smith said.
Local 1442 has approximately 47 members who work at the Letterkenny Army Depot, and Kauffman was its president from September 2013 to January 2015, officials with the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania said in a news release.
Officials charge that Kauffman embezzled the $22,062 by writing 24 checks drawn against a union bank account that were payable to himself, and by disguising the checks as payments for legitimate Local 1442 expenses, the news release continued.
A call to attorney Joseph Sembrot, who was listed as representing Kauffman, was not immediately returned.
The news release also stated that:
– The alleged fraud was discovered in January 2015 following an audit of the union’s finances.
– Kauffman is no longer employed at Letterkenny Army Depot.
– The government also filed a plea agreement in the case, which is subject to the approval of the court.
– The mail fraud charge has a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Labor Management in Philadelphia, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Douglas Daniel, the attorney’s office added.
