Criminal defense includes homicide, sex crimes and drug crimes in Vista, California. Of the many violent cases, white-collar crimes stand out. Corporate fraud and embezzlement are common white-collar crimes. When the defendant is a known person, the trial always gets more attention.
Union leader charges
Alma Hernandez has been the executive director of the largest union in California since 2016. She has 700,000 workers in the union and influences laws by donating to Democratic candidates. After resigning, she and her husband went to jail with several charges. Their charges include embezzlement, tax fraud, failure to pay unemployment insurance taxes and perjury.
Attorney general’s case
Alma Hernandez and her husband had five counts of under-reporting their income. All of their charges are white-collar crimes, but they could owe the state about $140,000 in taxes. Their charges have a risk of prison time if convicted. She has a charge of perjury and two charges of grand theft from her job as a treasurer for a 2014 political committee. She gave her husband about $12,000 of campaign funds for food services that he didn’t provide. Her husband has a charge of failing to pay employment taxes for his business.
Aftermath of charges
Board members of the union’s local chapter were meeting a few days later to vote on stripping the leader powers of the president. Some of the powers in question include hiring and firing staff, negotiations, presiding over board meetings and being the spokesperson. There has been a bitter power struggle between the new president and the other 65 board members. They want to elect a chairman to lead the local chapter. The embezzlement and tax fraud charges are bad timing for the union.
With the infighting of the union leadership, the white-collar charges hurt even more. White-collar crimes can have serious consequences like violence and drug charges. Fraud and embezzlement can end in prison sentences and damaged reputations. When famous people or officials end up with charges, the media covers it more.
