DETROIT – A former union president in Detroit appeared in court Monday on federal charges alleging he embezzled more than $600,000 in union dues.
UPDATE: Former Detroit AFSCME president accused of embezzlement pleads guilty
Mervin Edgar Hawk was the president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 1640 from 2013 to 2015.
According to court records, Hawk received and deposited over $325,000 in union dues directly into an unauthorized account at Huntington Bank in which he was the sole signatory authority. Authorities say Hawk then withdrew from the account at ATMs at Motor City Casino and spent the funds on casino-related expenses.
Hawk had allegedly also opened an unauthorized account at TCF bank and deposited over $165,000 in union dues between April and September of 2015. Funds from this account were also withdrawn from ATMs at Motor City Casino, according to court records.
Authorities allege Hawk withdrew $130,000 from the AFSCME Local 1640’s primary bank account in about 30 separate transactions and transferred the funds to his personal account.
Hawk was charged with embezzlement and theft from labor unions.