The former UAW official pleaded guilty to embezzling $ 2.2M from the union

Detroit – A former Detroit branch official of United Auto Workers has pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $ 2 million in union funds.

Federal prosecutors say Timothy Edmunds, 54, pleaded guilty Friday to all counts of embezzlement and money laundering during a U.S. District Court hearing in Detroit. He is the 17th defendant in an ongoing criminal investigation into corruption within the UAW, prosecutors say.

From 2011 to 2021, Edmunds was the Secretary-Treasurer of the UAW Local 412, representing about 2,600 people working for the Stalantis, formerly known as the Fiat Chrysler, at the Detroit area factory.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a criminal case that Edmunds “planned to” remove about $ 2.2 million in bank accounts from locals through personal purchases, local checks and cash transfers using Labor Group credit cards.

Prosecutors say he gambled with the money and spent more on guns, cars and child support.

After indicting Edmunds in a November complaint, UAW said in a statement that its auditors had discovered its inappropriate spending and returned its findings to federal authorities.