California Union Leader Alma Hernandez Charged With Tax Fraud, Embezzlement

SACRAMENTO (AP) – The apical unit subordinate astatine California’s largest labour national has resigned aft she and her hubby were charged with felonies including taxation fraud.

Alma Hernandez served arsenic enforcement manager for SEIU California since 2016. The national represents much than 700,000 workers and is politically influential, regularly donating millions to Democratic candidates. The Sacramento Bee archetypal reported the charges and her resignation.

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Attorney General Rob Bonta said Wednesday his bureau filed charges against Hernandez and her husband, Jose Moscoso, connected Oct. 4.

They were charged with 5 felony counts of filing mendacious taxation returns, allegedly nether reporting their income by astir $1.4 cardinal implicit 5 years, according to the complaint. They allegedly beryllium the authorities much than $140,000 and could look authorities situation time.

Hernandez did not respond to a Twitter connection seeking remark and calls to telephone fig for Hernadez and Moscoso went unanswered. A connection for Moscoso seeking remark that was near with a idiosyncratic who answered the telephone listed for Moscoso’s concern was not instantly returned.

Hernandez besides faces 2 charges of expansive theft and 1 of perjury for her enactment arsenic treasurer connected a 2014 governmental committee supporting a authorities Senate candidate.

The ailment alleges she directed astir $12,000 successful run wealth to her hubby for run nutrient services that helium ne'er provided.

That governmental committee received galore contributions from the SEIU California’s governmental arm, according to run concern filings.

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“We are profoundly acrophobic astir the allegations against Alma Hernández. We person accepted Ms. Hernández’s resignation, and we person cooperated afloat with authorities connected this substance and volition proceed to bash so,” Bob Schoonover, enforcement manager of the SEIU California State Council, said successful a statement.

He added: “Any misuse of funds is unacceptable, and we are committed to doubling down connected our efforts to guarantee that each officers and unit adhere to the highest level of ethical and fiscal conduct.”

SEIU California’s manager of authorities relations, Tia Orr, volition instrumentality implicit arsenic interim enforcement manager for the union, Schoonover said. It oversees much than a twelve section unions representing authorities workers, acquisition workers, healthcare workers and others.

Mike Roth, a spokesperson for the union, did not reply a question astir erstwhile Hernandez resigned.

Separately, Moscoso was charged for unreported wages and failing to wage employment taxes for his business, LA Duct Cleaning LLC.

The probe included members of the lawyer general’s office, the Employment Development Department, the Franchise Tax Board and the Fair Political Practices Commission, which is the state’s run concern watchdog.

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Copyright 2021 The Associated Press.