The president of the United Auto Workers has been named as a co-conspirator in a court filing against another union official. The two are accused of embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars.
It's the latest twist in the ongoing investigation into corruption by UAW officials.
Prosecutors accused the union's president, Gary Jones, of working with Missouri's UAW council president Edward Robinson to embezzle up to $700,000. That's according to documents filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Detroit.
The money was spent on high end liquor, cigars, and golf outings, among other lavish expenses.
Jones was referred to as Official A in the criminal documents. That's according to what sources told the Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press.
UAW spokesman, Brian Rothenberg, said in a statement Thursday that the UAW takes the allegations, "very seriously."
"We take any allegation or claim about the misuse of union resources very seriously. The UAW is grounded in the principle of putting our members first, and that belief has never wavered. The UAW remains focused on negotiating and finalizing strong contracts for our members--especially during this round of auto negotiations."
The Detroit News reports prosecutors will likely wait to pursue charges until the union's contract negotiations with Ford Motor Company and Fiat-Chrysler are finished.
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