Forde To Be Sentenced On November 19

Former Carpenter Boss Forde leaves court after making guilty plea.

Carpenters who wish to share their thoughts about the sentencing of Michael Forde on November 19, 2010, may write to Judge Victor Marrero at the following address:

Hon. Victor Marrero
United States District Court Judge
500 Pearl Street
New York, NY 10007-1312

On Wednesday, July 28, 2010 at 12:00 p.m Michael Forde, the former Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the New York City District Council of Carpenters and Chairman of the District Council benefit funds, pleaded guilty in Manhattan federal court to participating in a 15-year racketeering scheme.

Between 1994 and their arrest in August 2009, FORDE and his co-conspirators engaged in a racketeering conspiracy to enrich themselves and others and maintain control of the Carpenters Union through, among other things, the unlawful solicitation and obtaining of cash payments and other things of value from owners of construction contractors who had signed collective bargaining agreements with the Union.

In exchange for the bribes, FORDE and his co-conspirators allowed and helped certain contractors to defraud the union and its benefit funds out of millions of dollars by permitting the contractors to, among other things, pay union members cash at below-union rates, without benefits, employ illegal aliens and non-union workers on their job sites, and avoid payment to the union benefit funds in violation of applicable collective bargaining agreements.

FORDE admitted that from approximately 1994 through 2004, he received cash bribes from multiple contractors (including On Par Contracting, Turbo Construction, Pyramid Associates Construction, New York City Acoustics, and KAFCI) in return for allowing these contractors to violate the terms of their collective bargaining agreements with the District Council. 

Among other things, FORDE admitted that he let these contractors use undocumented workers and avoid making required payments to the District Council benefit funds of which he was the Chairman. 

FORDE also admitted to committing perjury in a January 2009 deposition he gave in a civil action brought by the District Council against one of the contractors from whom his co-conspirators had accepted bribes. FORDE further admitted to obstructing efforts to investigate his conduct.

FORDE pleaded guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of racketeering, which also carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

FORDE was fired from his position on August 10, 2009, and the Council was placed under "emergency supervision."

Shortly after FORDE was indicted and fired, a cache of drugs (Oxycontin) and a stun gun were found hidden in the offices of the Labor Technical College of the District Council. FORDE tested positive for both cocaine and marijuana at the time of his arrest.