Dennis Williams, who once led one of the most powerful labor unions in the United States as president of the UAW, is heading to prison for his role in the long-running corruption probe.
Williams, who pleaded guilty in September to a charge of conspiracy to embezzle union funds, was sentenced Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Detroit by Judge Paul Borman to 21 months in prison and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine. The proceeding, like many others during the coronavirus pandemic, was held via Zoom.
Prosecutors said Williams, who joined the union as a welder in Rock Island, Illinois, in 1977, took advantage of his position, living a life far removed from the rank-and-file members he was supposed to be representing. They called him out for, among other things, spending time each year at a swanky villa during union conferences that far exceeded what was justified by his commitments. They said he and other leaders gorged themselves on meals, booze, cigars and other perks.
Williams, who claimed ex-union President Gary Jones was more to blame for the wrongdoing than he was, has emphasized other aspects of his life, including his service as a Marine and father, but he expressed regret for his actions, noting the role of the UAW in his life.
"It was more than a job, it was a calling," he said Tuesday.
Williams is one of 16 people, including former top UAW officials, such as Jones, and ex-Fiat Chrysler Automobiles executives, who have been convicted in the scandal involving embezzlement, kickbacks, bribes and misuse of worker training funds. The criminal investigation into the union wrapped up late last year when prosecutors and the UAW announced an agreement that calls for the appointment of an independent monitor and for a referendum election on how top union leaders will be picked in the future.
