PHILADELPHIA, PA — In a shocking public corruption case, John Dougherty, the once powerful union leader of Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in Philadelphia, has been sentenced to six years in federal prison.
The 64-year-old Philadelphia resident, who was a pillar of the city’s blue-collar labor force, was convicted Thursday, July 11, 2024, of a litany of crimes involving rampant embezzlement, bribery, and defrauding the citizens of Philadelphia of honest public services.
The hefty sentence, which was decreed by United States District Court Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl, also imposed three years of supervised release, a forfeiture of over $350,000, a $7,100 special assessment, along with an initial $50,000 in restitution. The total restitution is yet to be determined.
This saga of corruption began in January 2019 when a federal grand jury issued a sweeping indictment against Dougherty, then-Philadelphia City Council Member Robert Henon, and others closely associated with Local 98. The charges accused Dougherty and his cohorts of a litany of dishonest actions ranging from grand theft to underhanded political maneuvering.
In particular, Dougherty and Henon were accused of betraying the City of Philadelphia and its citizens by using Henon’s position on the city council to further Dougherty’s personal interests. In return for these political favors, Henon received financial and other rewards from Dougherty.
Additionally, Dougherty, alongside then-Local 98 President Brian Burrows and other union officers, were charged with conspiracy and embezzlement following theft of approximately $600,000 in Local 98 funds spanning from 2010 to 2016.
Moreover, Dougherty and Burrows were accused of covering up the embezzlement by filing falsified labor management reports and by neglecting to disclose the stolen funds on their tax returns.
The complex case saw separate trials for the public corruption and embezzlement charges. In November 2021, a federal jury convicted Dougherty on several counts, including conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and honest services wire fraud. Henon was convicted on similar charges, as well as federal program bribery.
The second wave of convictions came in December 2023, when Dougherty and Burrows were found guilty of embezzlement of Local 98 funds, wire fraud, and a host of other crimes related to the manipulation of union financial records and tax returns. Dougherty was handed additional convictions for 33 counts of embezzlement of Local 98 funds.
The extensive investigation that brought these crimes to light was conducted by a host of agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and the Pennsylvania State Police, among others. The case is being prosecuted by an assortment of Assistant United States Attorneys.
The sentencing of Dougherty marks a pivotal point in the lengthy saga of corruption, bribery, and embezzlement that has rocked Local 98 and the City of Philadelphia.
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