LA Union Chief Charged With Embezzling

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Federal prosecutors have charged the former president of the Service Employees International Union's largest California local with embezzling tens of thousands of dollars to pay for wedding expenses and other non-union spending.

Assistant U.S. attorney Bruce Riordan says 42-year-old Tyrone Freeman was indicted Tuesday for multiple counts of mail fraud, embezzlement of labor union assets and other crimes.

Prosecutors say Freeman used Local 6434's credit card to pay $8,105 in personal expenses during his 2006 wedding trip to Honolulu.

Freeman faces 15 counts in all and could be sentenced to more than 200 years in prison if convicted on all charges.

The alleged crimes occurred between January 2007 and August 2008.

The charges stem from a 2008 Los Angeles Times investigation.

Freeman is due for arraignment on Sept. 24.

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