Scot McNamara, Embezzlement and Theft, Minnesota 2023

A labor union officer in Minnesota has been charged with embezzling over $6,800 from union funds. Scot McNamara, 56, of Cottage Grove, Minn., was indicted on four counts of embezzlement and theft of labor union assets.

According to the indictment, McNamara used a Visa rewards credit card meant for union expenses to pay for personal items, including a family vacation to the Grand Cayman Islands. He also used the card to pay for airline tickets worth over $2,800.

In addition, McNamara was reimbursed nearly $3,000 for a training seminar in New Orleans, but instead of turning the money over to the union, he used it to cover personal expenses. Nearly all of the expenses McNamara claimed in his reimbursement request had already been paid by the union.

The indictment alleges that McNamara cashed in reward points earned on the credit card in exchange for $1,900 in gas cards, which were sent to his home. This is just one of several incidents where McNamara used union funds for personal gain.

The case is the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lola Velazquez-Aguilu is prosecuting the case.

A related felony information has also been filed charging Keith Christopheerson, 53, of Coon Rapids, Minn., with embezzlement and theft of labor union assets. Christopheerson is charged with one count of embezzlement.

The indictment is merely an allegation, and McNamara is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. The case will be heard in United States District Court in St. Paul, Minn.

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