Union Boss, Philly Councilman Guilty In Federal Corruption Case

PHILADELPHIA — City Councilman Robert "Bobby" Henon and electrical union boss John "Johnny Doc" Dougherty Monday were convicted of multiple crimes involving public corruption in a federal trial.

Henon, 52, and Dougherty, 61, were found guilty of numerous crimes, including conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and honest services wire fraud.

Henon individually was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, eight counts of honest services wire fraud, and one count of bribery.

Dougherty, the former Business Manager of Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers who resigned Tuesday, was also individually found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, and seven counts of honest services wire fraud.

The honest services wire fraud convictions against both defendants were premised on the following schemes proven at trial: L&I/CHOP; Plumbing Code/Building Trades; Towing; Comcast; and Soda Tax #2. The additional honest services wire fraud count against Henon was predicated on a $5,000 campaign contribution from CWA to Henon’s campaign bank account. The bribery conviction against Henon was based on the same $5,000 check, written on the account of the CWA.

Dougherty, Henon and others affiliated with Local 98 were charged by indictment in January 2019.

The trials were bifurcated thereafter, leaving Dougherty and the other defendants to stand trial on the embezzlement and tax fraud charges at a later date.

The indictment charged that Dougherty and Henon defrauded the City of Philadelphia and its citizens of the right to Henon’s honest services as a member of City Council. Evidence presented at trial demonstrated that Henon received a salary and other things of value from Dougherty and, in exchange, Henon used his position as a member of City Council to serve Dougherty’s interests.

"Union officials must ensure that only those individuals who perform rightful union work be permitted to participate in union employee benefit plans," said Michael Schloss, Philadelphia Regional Director of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration. "EBSA will vigorously pursue those who arrogate employee benefits intended exclusively for hard–working union members."

“An important part of the mission of the Office of Inspector General is to investigate allegations relating to labor racketeering," said Syreeta Scott, Special Agent-in-Charge, Philadelphia Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. "Today’s guilty verdict for John Dougherty, Business Manager of Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and City of Philadelphia Councilmember Robert Henon for conspiracy and honest services fraud is an affirmation of our commitment to working with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Labor-Management Standards and Employee Benefits Security Administration to pursue union-affiliated corruption investigations."