Philadelphia Man Sentenced for Embezzlement and Bribery

 Philadelphia, PA - John Dougherty, 64, of Philadelphia, was sentenced to 72 months in prison by United States District Court Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl. Dougherty, former business manager of Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), was convicted of embezzlement and bribery. His sentence includes three years of supervised release, forfeiture of $353,941.35, a $7,100 special assessment, and an initial restitution payment of $50,000, with full restitution to be determined later.

In January 2019, a federal grand jury indicted Dougherty, former Philadelphia City Council Member Robert Henon, and others associated with Local 98. The indictment detailed their involvement in various crimes from May 2015 to September 2016, including depriving Philadelphia citizens of Henon's honest services as a City Council member. Henon received compensation from Dougherty in exchange for using his council position to benefit Dougherty’s interests.

Additionally, Dougherty, along with then-Local 98 President Brian Burrows and other union officers, was charged with conspiracy and embezzlement for stealing approximately $600,000 from Local 98 between April 2010 and August 2016. They also faced charges for filing false labor management reports and tax returns to conceal their activities.

Separate trials for public corruption and embezzlement were held following the indictment. On November 15, 2021, Dougherty was convicted of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and seven counts of honest services wire fraud. Henon was found guilty of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, eight counts of honest services wire fraud, and one count of federal program bribery. The fraudulent activities included manipulating city regulations and contracts to favor Dougherty.

On December 7, 2023, Dougherty and Burrows were convicted of conspiracy to embezzle Local 98 funds. Dougherty was additionally found guilty of multiple counts of embezzlement, wire fraud, filing false labor management reports, and filing false tax returns.

U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero stated, “John Dougherty portrayed himself as a champion for Local 98, but he was exploiting both the union and the city for his gain. This sentencing upholds the integrity and rule of law that Philadelphia deserves.” Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia, emphasized that this verdict serves justice to the union members and the city’s residents who were betrayed.

Denise Leuenberger, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation, hopes the sentence deters future violations of public trust. Cristina O’Brien of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration, highlighted their ongoing commitment to protecting employees' benefits. Nicole Spallino from the Department of Labor’s Office of Labor-Management Standards, and Syreeta Scott, Special Agent in Charge, Mid-Atlantic Region, echoed the importance of holding union officials accountable.

The investigation involved the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and several divisions of the U.S. Department of Labor, with assistance from the Pennsylvania State Police and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office. The prosecution team included Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Costello, Bea Witzleben, Richard Barrett, Jason Grenell, and Anthony Carissimi.


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Location: Philadelphia, PA, USA

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