Former UAW President Admits To Stealing Union Funds

DETROIT, MI — A former president of the United Auto Workers has pleaded guilty to embezzlement, union officials said Wednesday.

Dennis Williams on Wednesday admitted to embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from the UAW.

The conviction is the second large-scale conviction stemming from an investigation into corruption in the auto industry, The Detroit News reported. Williams' successor, Gary Jones, pleaded guilty about four months ago to similar offenses.

Williams is the 15th person convicted through the investigation, which The Detroit News reported has revealed multiple instances in which labor leads broke federal labor laws while stealing union funds and receiving bribes and illegal benefits.

In a statement to Patch, the UAW said Williams put his personal and self interests ahead of members of the union.

"These serious charges deserve serious legal consequences as they violate the oath of UAW officers and they violate the trust of UAW officers to handle our members’ sacred dues money," the union said.

Earlier this summer the UAW’s International Executive Board took action to stop payment of Williams’ legal fees, the union said, adding they then demanded he resign his membership with the union. He did so on Sept. 18, officials said.

Williams will be required to repay the UAW for all legal fees paid by the UAW on his behalf or face legal action, and Williams will be required to repay any further union funds he wrongly took or misspent, union officials said.

"The UAW continues our commitment to our members that we will take all available actions to hold responsible any officer, staff, or member who violates their UAW oath, our Union’s ethical standards or the law, no matter how high the office they hold," the UAW said in a statement.