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Carpenters union boss Michael Forde sentenced to 11 years in prison

Irish construction boss sealed his fate

By
ANTOINETTE KELLY,
IrishCentral.com Staff Writer
Published Sunday, November 21, 2010, 8:20 AM
Updated Sunday, November 21, 2010, 8:30 AM

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Ex-Carpenters union boss Michael Forde was convicted after pleading guilty to corruption.


Ex-Carpenters union boss Michael Forde was sentenced to 11 years in prison after pleading guilty to corruption.

The main witness against Forde and other union leaders was a former Irish construction company owner James Murray who admitted he had bribed Forde with $100,000 dollars to look the other way on union jobs.

During his time as head of the heavily Irish Local 608 union, Forde allowed the hiring of many illegal immigrant Irish carpenters and paid them less wages and pocketed the difference with the union rate.

"I take full responsibility for my actions. I betrayed trust. I am deeply ashamed for my behavior," said the ex-chief of the District Council of Carpenters in a Manhattan courtroom last week. "I have no excuse."

In July, Forde pleaded guilty to racketeering charges. He admitted that he took hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes from contractors using nonunion labor, putting union workers out of work and cheating them out of millions in welfare benefits.

Last week, prosecutors revealed that he had put his "personal cocaine supplier" on the union payroll.

The District Council is the city's largest construction union and has a history of corruption. Forde’s two predecessors were also imprisoned on corruption charges. His father, Martin Forde was also indicted several years ago for alleged mafia links.

Manhattan Federal Judge Victor Marrero took three months off the maximum sentence Forde faced under the plea deal and said Forde was a "downright wicked" man who "operated on the frontiers of depravity."

Forde was fined $50,000 and ordered to forfeit $100,000. He must make restitution to the union and its benefit funds, which are seeking $18 million. Forde must surrender by Jan. 7.
 

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5 Comments

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dan Breen | Nov 21, 2010, 05:18 PM EST
I hope he dies a slow death ! Hopefully it will be ass cancer !

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imuverin | Nov 21, 2010, 12:43 PM EST
In the USA Corrupt officials go to Jail. When is the last time any one in Ireland was sent to Jail.

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akellyny | Nov 21, 2010, 10:22 AM EST
Wait till they get to local 7 on Long Island. There was so much corruption there!

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Liamkeyes | Nov 21, 2010, 09:31 AM EST
I feel bad because I know lots of honest Union Officials who often went into their own pockets to help others out. I had honest Union officials in my union and Thank God for them because I am retired now and have great benefits, thanks to my honest Union Officials.

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Dublinjas | Nov 21, 2010, 09:20 AM EST
So much for Unions, when you get down to it they are all as crooked as society itself, lets face it we all want the goodies in life so when the chance arises we go for it , Of course when we are Union officials we are supposed to have some principles, but not in the US it seems and definitely not in Dublin where they have a little in house fixit clubs where certain jobs are reserved for certain people etc etc.

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