Kenneth Wynder, Embezzlement, New York 2024
Kenneth Wynder, a former New York State Trooper and president of the Law Enforcement Employees Benevolent Association (LEEBA), a labor union for law enforcement officers employed by the City of New York, has been sentenced to 40 months in prison for defrauding union members by misappropriating money from LEEBA's Annuity Fund.
Wynder, 40, was also sentenced for personal income tax evasion and conspiring to evade federal taxes, including payroll taxes owed by LEEBA and its employees. He was convicted after a five-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel, who imposed the sentence on May 30, 2024.
According to the indictment, Wynder and Andrew Brown, the former financial advisor for LEEBA, raided union-sponsored retirement accounts for years, placing their self-interest over the hardworking public servants they represented as the president and financial advisor of the union, respectively.
Leeba's Annuity Fund is a fund that received monthly contributions from the City for the benefit of LEEBA's members and maintained separate accounts for each fund member. These accounts were functionally similar to employer-sponsored 401(k) retirement accounts.
The indictment alleges that Wynder and Brown misappropriated money from the Annuity Fund, using it for personal gain. Wynder also evaded taxes on cash, checks, and other income he obtained from the union, including as a product of their theft from the union members' retirement accounts.
Wynder was sentenced to 40 months in prison, while Brown was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Steven Whittick, LEEBA's former treasurer and a former police officer for New York City's Department of Environmental Protection, was previously sentenced to 28 months in prison for conspiring to commit tax evasion and making false statements to law enforcement.
The case is a reminder that union officials and advisors who violate their duties to the union members they represent will face serious consequences for their abuse of trust.
Mandatory Facts:
Defendant: Kenneth Wynder
Criminal Charges: Embezzlement, personal income tax evasion, and conspiring to evade federal taxes
City and State: New York
Date: May 30, 2024
Sentence: 40 months in prison
Amount: N/A
Category: Public Corruption, White Collar Crime
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Public Corruption|White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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