George W. Cashman

Alleged Associate of Boston Boss in Custody

Submitted by David Kendrick on Mon, 11/24/2003 - 01:00

Frank Rossi, a career criminal with close ties to embattled Boston Teamsters boss George W. Cashman was arrested on drug charges Nov. 9 and sources said the arrest could signal a major break in the racketeering probe against the union boss. Rossi was just released from a N.J. halfway house in Oct. on a different charge. The slightly built and balding Rossi, dressed in a checkered, untucked button-down shirt, jeans and sneakers, was arraigned in U.S. District Court on one count of distributing cocaine after a wired informant tape recorded at least two purchases from him in Nov. U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles B. Swartwood III (D. Mass.) held Rossi without bail until a Nov. 14 probable cause hearing as well as a hearing on his dangerousness and risk of flight.

Death Threats Alleged in Connection to Racketeering Probe of Boston Local

Submitted by Michael Nelson on Mon, 04/01/2002 - 01:00

The head of the Commonwealth of Mass.'s Film Office has allegedly received death threats stemming from her helping federal prosecutors probing alleged racketeering within Int'l Bhd. of Teamsters Local 25 in New England. Robin Dawson, who has testified before the federal grand jury investigating allegations of union shakedowns and strong-arming of movie makers filming in Mass., received the threats Mar. 22, sources told the Boston Herald.

Allegedly, the threats centered around Dawson's appearance at an Oscar party Sunday night to benefit Massachusetts 9-11 Fund for families of victims of the terrorist attacks last fall. Reportedly, officials at the Four Seasons hotel, where the gala was held, beefed up security because of the threat.

Ohio Boss Gets 3 Months at home for $19,100 Theft

Submitted by Michael Nelson on Mon, 03/04/2002 - 01:00

U.S. Dist. Judge David A. Katz (N.D. Ohio, Clinton) sentenced the ex-treasurer of the Lima (Ohio) Mem'l Prof'l Nurses Ass'n, Sharon K. Schmenk, Feb. 1 to three years probation, the first six months to be spent in home confinement. She must wear an ankle monitor, which costs  $4.95 a day. She must pay for the monitor (approximately $891). Katz also ordered the boss to to make full restitution. She pled guilty Oct. 5 to embezzling $19,170 in union funds.  [DOL 2/1/02; USAO N.D. Ohio 2/25/02]


Minnesota Boss Gets Probation for False Entries, Paid $18,700 in Restitution
On Feb. 25, in the U.S. Dist. Court for the Dist. of Minn., Judy Domning, ex-executive director of the Minn. Licensed Practical Nurses Ass'n and ex-executive director of the Technical Employees Ass'n of Minn., was convicted of making a false statement by making false entries in union records. She was sentenced to two years probation and barred from employment by unions "for life." She had pled guilty on Aug. 24 and had previously made restitution of $18,772.

Indicted Boston Boss Targeted by the Mob

Submitted by Michael Nelson on Mon, 02/18/2002 - 01:00

Boston-area gangsters were plotting to use violence to push aside Int'l Bhd. of Teamsters Local 25 president George W. Cashman in the mid-1990s and seize control of lucrative movie contracts, a U.S. Drug Enforcement Admin. agent said in an affidavit filed Feb. 11 in federal court. John "Mick" Murray, a Local 25 member and an alleged associate of fugitive organized crime boss James "Whitey" Bulger, was "not pleased with the management of Local 25 by . . . Cashman," Agent Joseph W. Desmond said in his affidavit. Murray and Phil Myers, another Local 25 member who was arrested in 1998 on drug charges and is now cooperating with authorities, were allegedly "part of a conspiracy to take charge of Local 25's movie crews through the use of force and violence," he said. The two men plotted to "confront Cashman with a weapon and force Cashman to make changes in the management of the movie crews," Desmond said, adding that they went so far as to track the union president's movements before Myers was arrested and the plan was abandoned.

Indicted Boston Boss Resigns from Board of State Agency

Submitted by Michael Nelson on Mon, 02/04/2002 - 01:00

Recently indicted Teamsters boss George W. Cashman abandoned his plum Mass. Port Auth. Bd. post Jan. 22, sparing acting Gov. Jane Swift (R) from embarrassing political standoff. Cashman, a Democrat and an ally to the last three Republican governors, fired off a terse resignation letter just ten minutes before Swift promised he'd be suspended from MPA Bd., the agency that operates Logan Int'l Airport where two planes that terrorists used to destroy the World Trade Ctr. originated. Eager to fend off an appearance of guilt, the president of the Charlestown-based Int'l Bhd. of Teamsters Local 25, promised to beat the "unfounded" federal indictment. Federal prosecutors charged Cashman Jan. 16 along with three others in a 179-count indictment alleging a scheme to illegally give union health benefits to 19 non-union workers.

Boston Boss Faces Embezzlement and Bribery Charges

Submitted by Michael Nelson on Mon, 01/21/2002 - 01:00

George W. Cashman, president of Int'l Bhd. of Teamsters Local 25 in Charlestown, Mass.,  along with four other individuals and three firms were indicted Jan. 16 on 179 counts of embezzlement and bribery. Allegedly, 19 non-employees were ordered or placed on the firms' payrolls in order to allow the non-employees to receive health benefits from Local 25's Health Services & Insurance Plan to which they were not entitled. Asst. U.S. Atty. Fred Wyshak said the defendants robbed the fund of benefits belonging to qualified members: "The loss is to the fund that has to pay benefits it normally would not have to pay."

Disilva Transp., Inc., Hutchinson Indus., Inc., and Manfi Leasing Corp., run by brothers Thomas A. and James P. Disilva and their brother-in-law William P. Belanger, filed false documents for the bogus employees from 1992-2001 thereby costing Local 25's HSIP $72,000 in wrongful health benefits.  Also, two non-employees were allegedly placed on the firms' payrolls in order to be eligible for pension benefits from the New England Teamsters & Trucking Indus. Pension Fund, which covers several IBT locals.

Alleged Associate of Boston Boss in Custody

Submitted by Michael Nelson on Mon, 11/19/2001 - 01:00

Frank Rossi, a career criminal with close ties to embattled Boston Teamsters boss George W. Cashman was arrested on drug charges Nov. 9 and sources said the arrest could signal a major break in the racketeering probe against the union boss. Rossi was just released from a N.J. halfway house in Oct. on a different charge. The slightly built and balding Rossi, dressed in a checkered, untucked button-down shirt, jeans and sneakers, was arraigned in U.S. District Court on one count of distributing cocaine after a wired informant tape recorded at least two purchases from him in Nov. U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles B. Swartwood III (D. Mass.) held Rossi without bail until a Nov. 14 probable cause hearing as well as a hearing on his dangerousness and risk of flight.

Feds Raid Boston Boss' House

Submitted by Michael Nelson on Mon, 08/27/2001 - 00:00

Federal investigators probing movie industry kickbacks and shakedowns by Teamsters seized business records and about $50,000 in cash in a predawn raid at the home of one of Int'l Bhd. of Teamsters Local 25 president George W. Cashman's top lieutenants. The July 21 raid on the Charlestown home of William O'Brien, a longtime transportation captain in Local 25's movie crew, is the latest twist in the two-year-long racketeering investigation into Cashman and his aides. Reportedly, O'Brien was not home when Dep't of Labor agents from the Office of the Inspector Gen. burst into the house armed with warrants. In the house, agents found scores of hidden personal records allegedly detailing activities by the union members and vendors on movies made in New England over the past decade. Agents also reportedly found numerous envelopes stuffed with cash, totaling roughly $50,000.

Union Training School Linked to Corruption Probe

Submitted by Michael Nelson on Wed, 07/18/2001 - 00:00

Federal investigators probing embattled Int'l Bhd. of Teamsters Local 25 boss George W. Cashman have subpoenaed Mass. Port Auth. records cornering a sweetheart deal that allows the Local 25 to operate a profitable truck driver training school rent-free on MPA's prime waterfront property in East Boston, sources told the Boston Herald. Investigators are reportedly eyeing whether Charlestown, Mass.-based Local 25 is being given special treatment because its president is Cashman, who is also a member of the MPA's board of directors. In addition, the driving school may be violating state law by training drivers for commercial driver's licenses who are not members of Local 25. Reportedly, MPA's employees receive training at the IBT school.  Further, drivers from other companies, including utilities, allegedly pay for instruction at the IBT school even though the school is not certified, as required by the Registry of Motor Vehicles if the school trains drivers outside Local 25.

IRB Says Chicago Bosses Breached Duties

Submitted by Michael Nelson on Mon, 06/04/2001 - 00:00

The court-appointed Indep. Rev. Bd. of Int'l Bhd. of Teamsters accused William T. Hogan, a top IBT boss in the Midwest, May 23 of colluding with a Las Vegas janitorial service company to have the firm's nonunion employees perform work at Las Vegas trades shows and conventions. IRB's report alleged that Hogan, president of Chi. Teamsters Jt. Council 25, and IBT int'l rep. Dane Passo with scheming to have employees of the Chi.-based United Servs. Companies perform trade show work at rates below those paid members of IBT Local 631. The two union officials allegedly schemed to try and force the trustees of Local 631 to enter into a substandard contract with United, according to the 177-page report.  Hogan had no official responsibility for the operation of Local 631. But Hogan's brother, Michael is vice-president of United.

In the report, forwarded to the Teamsters General Executive Board, IRB recommends internal union charges be brought against Hogan and Passo for violating their fiduciary obligations to the union and its members.

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