CHICAGO (AP) — A former union official has been indicted on charges he fraudulently qualified for early retirement benefits from the Social Security Administration.
Federal prosecutors say John A. Matassa Jr. was secretary-treasurer of the Independent Union of Amalgamated Workers Local 711 when he put his wife on the payroll in a do-nothing job in February 2013. At the same time, he lowered his own salary and applied for and obtained early retirement benefits from Social Security’s Old-Age Insurance program. Matassa is also accused of signing his wife’s paychecks from the union and depositing them into the couple’s bank account.
The 65-year-old Matassa of Arlington Heights is scheduled to be arraigned next week on wire fraud, theft of government funds, embezzlement from a labor organization and making false entries in union records charges.
His lawyer refused to comment on the indictment.
Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
