UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS
EASTERN DIVISION

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
v.
THOMAS E. CULLERTON

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No.
Violations: Title 18, United States
Code, Sections 371 and 1035, and Title
29, United States Code, Section 501

COUNT ONE
THE SPECIAL DECEMBER 2017 GRAND JURY charges:
1.

At times material to this indictment:
Defendant and Illinois State Reporting Requirements
a.

Defendant THOMAS E. CULLERTON was a resident of Villa Park,

Illinois, was elected as an Illinois State Senator on or about November 6, 2012, and
assumed this office on or about January 9, 2013.
b.

As an elected official, CULLERTON was required by law to

annually file a “Statement of Economic Interests” with the Illinois Secretary of State,
which would disclose, among other things, certain income received by CULLERTON
during the prior calendar year, as well as the nature and source of such income. An
elected official that filed a Statement of Economic Interests was required to verify that
the information contained in the filing was true, correct and complete.

 Teamsters Union Entities and Individual
c.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters was a “labor

organization” within the meaning of Title 29, United States Code, Sections 402(i) and
402(j) that represented and actively sought to represent employees of employers engaged
in industries affecting interstate commerce for the purpose of dealing with such
employers concerning their employees’ wages, hours, and other conditions of
employment.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters issued charters to local

unions and joint councils of local unions affiliated with the International Brotherhood of
Teamsters.
d.

Teamsters Joint Council 25, with offices in Park Ridge, Illinois, was

a joint council affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and was a
“labor organization” within the meaning of Title 29, United States Code, Sections 402(i)
and 402(j). Teamsters Joint Council 25 represented and actively sought to represent
employees of employers engaged in industries affecting interstate commerce including
more than approximately 100,000 International Brotherhood of Teamsters members in
the Chicago area and northwest Indiana region, and had approximately 26 local union
affiliates. The vast majority of the annual expenses of the Teamsters Joint Council 25
were funded by a “per capita tax” paid to Teamsters Joint Council 25 by its affiliated local
unions and their members.
e.

Teamsters Joint Council 25 employed individuals known as

“organizers,” whose duties included recruiting new members to the International
Brotherhood of Teamsters and supporting labor strikes and picketing activities on behalf
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 of Teamsters union members.

Employees of Teamsters Joint Council 25, including

organizers, were paid twice a month, and their salaries were funded in part by the “per
capita tax” paid by the local unions affiliated with Joint Council 25 and their members.
f.

Teamsters Local Union 734, with offices in Chicago, Illinois, was

issued a charter by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, and was a “labor
organization” within the meaning of Title 29, United States Code, Sections 402(i) and
402(j) which represented and actively sought to represent employees of employers
engaged in industries affecting interstate commerce as the local union body through
which such employees enjoyed membership and became affiliated with the International
Brotherhood of Teamsters.
g.

Teamsters Local Union 734 Health and Welfare Fund, sometimes

referred to as the Local 734 Welfare Fund, was an employee welfare benefit plan subject
to Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (hereinafter, “ERISA”), that
was established and maintained by an employee organization representing employees
engaged in interstate commerce and in industries and activities affecting interstate
commerce for the purpose of providing employee welfare benefits to the members of
Teamsters Local Union 734 and other eligible employees as participants in accordance
with documents governing the plan, commonly known as the Local 734 Health & Welfare
EIN: 36-2272414 Plan No. 501 (the “health and welfare plan”). The Health and Welfare
Fund, as operated consistent with the health and welfare plan, was a private plan
affecting commerce under which medical benefits, items and services were provided to
individuals, and constituted a health care benefit program within the meaning of Title 18,
3

 United States Code, Section 24(b).

The Health and Welfare Fund provided plan

participants and their families with medical benefits.

Employers who entered into

collective bargaining and other agreements with Teamsters Local Union 734 were
contractually required to make contributions to the Health and Welfare Fund for the
benefit of their employees who were members of Teamsters Local Union 734 and other
eligible participants in the Health and Welfare Fund.

In order to be an eligible

participant and receive payments from the Health and Welfare Fund as an active
employee, the health and welfare plan required, among other things, that an employee
be regularly scheduled to work at least thirty hours per week.
h.

Teamsters Local Union 734 Pension Fund was an employee pension

benefit plan subject to Title I of ERISA, that was established and maintained by an
employee organization representing employees engaged in interstate commerce and in
industries and activities affecting interstate commerce for the purpose of providing
retirement benefits for such employees as members of Teamsters Local Union 734 and
other eligible participants in the plan in accordance with documents governing the plan,
commonly known as the Local 734 Pension Fund EIN: 51-6040136 Plan No. 001 (the
“pension plan”).

The Pension Fund, as operated consistent with the pension plan,

provided plan participants with retirement benefits.

Employers who entered into

collective bargaining and other agreements with Teamsters Local Union 734 were
contractually required to make contributions to the Pension Fund for the benefit of their
employees who were members of Teamsters Local Union 734 and other eligible
participants in the Pension Fund. In order to accrue additional benefits on an ongoing
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 basis from the Pension Fund through continued employment, known as “benefit service,”
the pension plan required an employee to work at least twenty-two weeks a year.
i.

Before assuming office as an Illinois State Senator, CULLERTON

worked at Company A and was a member of Teamsters Local Union 734.

However,

shortly after CULLERTON was elected to the Illinois Senate on or about November 6,
2012, CULLERTON’s employment with Company A was terminated, and due to the
termination of his employment with Company A, CULLERTON was no longer an
eligible participant in the Teamsters Local Union 734 Health and Welfare Fund and could
no longer accrue additional benefit service from the Teamsters Local Union 734 Pension
Fund.
j.
2.

Individual A was the President of Teamsters Joint Council 25.

Beginning in or around 2013 and continuing to in or around February 2016,

in the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, and elsewhere,
THOMAS E. CULLERTON,
defendant herein, did knowingly conspire with Individual A and others known and
unknown to the Grand Jury to:
a.

embezzle, steal, and unlawfully and willfully abstract and convert to

his own use, the moneys, funds, property, and other assets of a labor organization,
namely, Teamsters Joint Council 25, by which he was employed, in violation of Title 29,
United States Code, Section 501(c); and
b.

embezzle, steal, and unlawfully and willfully abstract and convert to

his own use and the use of others, the moneys, funds, securities, premiums, credits,
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 property, and other assets of an employee welfare benefit plan and an employee pension
benefit plan, and of a fund connected therewith, namely, the Teamsters Local Union 734
Health and Welfare Fund and the Teamsters Local Union 734 Pension Fund, in violation
of Title 18, United States Code, Section 664.
3.

It was part of the conspiracy that in or around March 2013, CULLERTON

was hired by Individual A as a purported full-time salaried employee and organizer of
Teamsters Joint Council 25 for the purpose of CULLERTON obtaining money and other
employee benefits from Teamsters Joint Council 25, the Teamsters Local Union 734
Health and Welfare Fund, and the Teamsters Local Union 734 Pension Fund to which
CULLERTON was not entitled.
4.

It was further part of the conspiracy that in or around March 2013,

Individual A caused Teamsters Joint Council 25 to enter into a participation agreement
with the Teamsters Local Union 734 Health and Welfare Fund and the Teamsters Local
Union 734 Pension Fund, whereby Teamsters Joint Council 25 agreed to make
contributions to the Teamsters Local Union 734 Health and Welfare Fund and the
Teamsters Local Union 734 Pension Fund for selected employees, thereby enabling
CULLERTON to continue to be eligible to receive employee welfare and pension
benefits from these employee benefit plans on the false pretense that he had legitimate
full-time employment with Teamsters Joint Council 25.

As part of this participation

agreement, Joint Council 25 agreed to maintain complete and accurate records to
substantiate the employment of those covered by the agreement, such as CULLERTON.

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 5.

It was further part of the conspiracy that Individual A caused salary

payments to be made by Teamsters Joint Council 25 to CULLERTON, even though
Individual A well knew that CULLERTON was doing little or no work for Teamsters
Joint Council 25 during each pay period he was paid full-time salary as an organizer.
6.

It was further part of the conspiracy that CULLERTON was paid a

monthly car and telephone allowance by Teamsters Joint Council 25, even though
CULLERTON did little or no work for Teamsters Joint Council 25 during each month
CULLERTON was paid such car and telephone allowances.
7.

It was further part of the conspiracy that CULLERTON was paid a bonus

in or around December 2013, December 2014, and December 2015, even though
CULLERTON did little or no work for Teamsters Joint Council 25 each year.
8.

It was further part of the conspiracy that Individual A caused contribution

payments to be sent to the Teamsters Local Union 734 Health and Welfare Fund and the
Teamsters Local Union 734 Pension Fund pursuant to the participation agreement for
the benefit of CULLERTON, even though Individual A well knew that CULLERTON
was doing little or no work for Teamsters Joint Council 25 during the pay periods for
which such contributions were made.

These contribution payments were accompanied

by remittance documents that made it falsely appear that the payments were made for
approximately four or five weeks’ worth of full-time work performed by CULLERTON.
9.

It was further part of the conspiracy that CULLERTON used the proceeds

of payments made to him by Teamsters Joint Council 25 to pay personal expenses, such
as his mortgage, utilities, and groceries, and continued to accept benefits from the
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 Teamsters Local Union 734 Health and Welfare Fund and the Teamsters Local Union
734 Pension Fund even though CULLERTON did little or no work in return for such
payments.
10.

It was further part of the conspiracy that CULLERTON continued to

receive from Teamsters Joint Council 25 payment of full-time salary, allowances, and
contributions for health and welfare and pension plan benefits, even when CULLERTON
attended sessions of the Illinois State Senate and when CULLERTON was otherwise
performing his duties as a Senator in Springfield, Illinois.
11.

It was further part of the conspiracy that CULLERTON repeatedly failed

to respond to efforts by his supervisors at Teamsters Joint Council 25 to contact him and
routinely ignored their requests that he perform the job functions of an organizer, as was
required of other organizers employed by Teamsters Joint Council 25.
12.

It was further part of the conspiracy that Individual A ignored and failed

to act upon repeated complaints made by a supervisory employee of Teamsters Joint
Council 25, who advised Individual A that CULLERTON did not show up for work and
did not perform the functions of a full-time salaried organizer.
13.

It was further part of the conspiracy that CULLERTON filed Statements

of Economic Interests for calendar years 2013 and 2014 with the Illinois Secretary of
State.

These statements made it falsely appear that CULLERTON had received

income each year for legitimately working as an organizer for Teamsters Joint Council
25, when CULLERTON well knew that he was not legitimately employed as an organizer
for Teamsters Joint Council 25.
8

 14.

It was further part of the conspiracy that CULLERTON filed Statements

of Economic Interests for calendar years 2015 and 2016 with the Illinois Secretary of
State.

In these statements, CULLERTON falsely omitted income CULLERTON had

received from Teamsters Joint Council 25 in 2015 and 2016.
15.

As a result of the conspiracy, the defendant fraudulently obtained and

misappropriated for his own benefit and the benefit of others (i) approximately $188,320
in salary, allowances, bonuses, and other benefits from Teamsters Joint Council 25 and
its members, (ii) approximately $64,068 in health and welfare plan and pension plan
contributions from Teamsters Joint Council 25 and its members; and (iii) approximately
$21,678 in reimbursed medical claims from Teamsters Local Union 734’s Health and
Welfare Fund, for a total loss of approximately $274,066.
16.

It was further part of the conspiracy that the conspirators misrepresented,

concealed and hid, caused to be misrepresented, concealed and hidden, and attempted to
misrepresent, conceal and hide acts done in furtherance of the conspiracy and the purpose
of those acts done in furtherance of the conspiracy.
Overt Acts
17.

To effect the objects of the conspiracy, defendant THOMAS E.

CULLERTON committed and caused to be committed the following overt acts, among
others, in the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division and elsewhere:
a.

On or about January 20, 2015, CULLERTON caused to be delivered

by mail an envelope addressed to Local 734 Health & Welfare/Pension, 6643 N.

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 Northwest Hwy, Chicago, IL 60631, which envelope contained a pension contribution
check for $575 made out to Local 734 Pension.
b.

On or about February 18, 2015, CULLERTON caused to be

delivered by mail an envelope addressed to Local 734 Health & Welfare/Pension, 6643 N
Northwest Hwy, Chicago, IL 60631, which envelope contained a health and welfare
contribution check for $1,375 made out to Local 734 Health & Welfare.
c.

On or about March 18, 2015, CULLERTON caused to be delivered

by mail an envelope addressed to Local 734 Health & Welfare, 6643 N Northeast Hwy,
Chicago, IL 60631-1360, which envelope contained a health and welfare contribution
check for $1,100 made out to Local 734 Health & Welfare.
d.

On or about October 15, 2015, CULLERTON caused a funds transfer

in the amount of approximately $1,692.79, which funds were credited to account number
*******388 at West Suburban Bank.
e.

On or about November 13, 2015, CULLERTON caused a funds

transfer in the amount of approximately $1,692.79, which funds were credited to account
number *******388 at West Suburban Bank.
f.

On or about December 15, 2015, CULLERTON caused a funds

transfer in the amount of approximately $1,692.79, which funds were credited to account
number *******388 at West Suburban Bank.
g.

On or about January 15, 2016, CULLERTON caused a funds

transfer in the amount of approximately $1,694.08, which funds were credited to account
number *******388 at West Suburban Bank.
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 h.

On or about April 26, 2016, CULLERTON submitted and caused to

be submitted to the Office of the Secretary of State of Illinois a signed Statement of
Economic Interests for calendar year 2015, which falsely omitted reference to funds
CULLERTON received from Teamsters Joint Council 25 in 2015.
i.

On or about April 28, 2017, CULLERTON submitted and caused to

be submitted to the Office of the Secretary of State of Illinois a signed Statement of
Economic Interests for calendar year 2016, which falsely omitted reference to funds
CULLERTON received from Teamsters Joint Council 25 in 2016.
All in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371.

11

 COUNTS TWO THROUGH FORTY
The SPECIAL DECEMBER 2017 GRAND JURY further charges:
1.

Paragraph 1 of this indictment is incorporated here.

2.

On or about the dates set forth below, at Chicago, in the Northern District

of Illinois, Eastern Division, and elsewhere,
THOMAS E. CULLERTON,
defendant herein, did embezzle, steal, and unlawfully and willfully abstract and convert
to his own use, the moneys, funds, property, and other assets of a labor organization,
namely, Teamsters Joint Council 25, by which he was employed, in the approximate
amounts set forth below:
COUNT

DATE

AMOUNT

Two

January 15, 2015

$1,648.63

Three

January 30, 2015

$2,531.83

Four

February 13, 2015

$1,648.63

Five

February 27, 2015

$1,648.63

Six

February 27, 2015

$1,059.14

Seven

March 13, 2015

$1,648.63

Eight

March 31, 2015

$1,648.63

Nine

March 31, 2015

$1,059.14

Ten

April 15, 2015

$1,648.63

Eleven

April 30, 2015

$1,648.63

12

 COUNT

DATE

AMOUNT

Twelve

April 30, 2015

$1,059.14

Thirteen

May 15, 2015

$1,648.63

Fourteen

May 29, 2015

$1,692.79

Fifteen

May 29, 2015

$1,216.34

Sixteen

June 15, 2015

$1,692.79

Seventeen

June 30, 2015

$1,692.79

Eighteen

June 30, 2015

$1,216.34

Nineteen

July 15, 2015

$1,692.79

Twenty

July 31, 2015

$1,692.79

Twenty-One

July 31, 2015

$1,216.34

Twenty-Two

August 14, 2015

$1,692.79

Twenty-Three

August 31, 2015

$1,692.79

Twenty-Four

August 31, 2015

$1,216.34

Twenty-Five

September 15, 2015

$1,692.79

Twenty-Six

September 30, 2015

$1,692.79

Twenty-Seven

September 30, 2015

$1,216.34

Twenty-Eight

October 15, 2015

$1,692.79

Twenty-Nine

October 30, 2015

$1,692.79

Thirty

October 30, 2015

$1,216.34

Thirty-One

November 13, 2015

$1,692.79

Thirty-Two

November 30, 2015

$1,692.79

13

 COUNT

DATE

AMOUNT

Thirty-Three

November 30, 2015

$1,216.34

Thirty-Four

December 15, 2015

$1,692.79

Thirty-Five

December 15, 2015

$899.44

Thirty-Six

December 31, 2015

$1,692.79

Thirty-Seven

December 31, 2015

$1,216.34

Thirty-Eight

January 15, 2016

$1,694.08

Thirty-Nine

January 29, 2016

$1,667.68

Forty

January 29, 2016

$1,217.11

In violation of Title 29, United States Code, Section 501(c).

14

 COUNT FORTY-ONE
The SPECIAL DECEMBER 2017 GRAND JURY further charges:
1.

Paragraph 1 of Count One of this indictment is incorporated here.

2.

Beginning in or around March 2013 and continuing until in or around April

2016, at Chicago, in the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, and elsewhere,
THOMAS E. CULLERTON,
defendant herein, in a matter involving a health care benefit program, did knowingly and
willfully falsify, conceal, and cover up by trick, scheme, and device a material fact in
connection with the delivery of and payment for health care benefits, items, and services.
3.

It was part of the scheme that CULLERTON sought to obtain health care

benefits through the Teamster Local Union 734 Health and Welfare Fund by falsely
representing himself to the Teamsters Local Union 734 Health and Welfare Fund to be a
full-time employee of Joint Council 25, and by concealing and covering up that he was in
fact not a full-time employee of Joint Council 25.
4.

It was further part of the scheme that CULLERTON caused contribution

payments to be sent to the Teamsters Local Union 734 Health and Welfare Fund that
made it falsely appear that CULLERTON was a full-time employee of Joint Council 25.
5.

It was further part of the scheme that CULLERTON submitted or caused

to be submitted to the Teamsters Local Union 734 Health and Welfare Fund health care
benefit claims and related paperwork for health care services that were provided to
CULLERTON and members of his family, but in doing so, CULLERTON concealed and
covered up that he was not eligible for participation in the Health and Welfare Fund as
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 an active employee, in that CULLERTON was not regularly scheduled to work at least
thirty hours per week for Joint Council 25 and in fact did not work thirty hours per week
for Joint Council 25.
6.

It was further part of the scheme that CULLERTON submitted and

caused to be submitted to medical providers information that made it appear that he was
employed by Teamsters Local Union 734 as a “route salesman,” and in doing so,
CULLERTON concealed and covered up that he was not eligible for participation in the
Health and Welfare Fund as an active employee, in that CULLERTON was not regularly
scheduled to work at least thirty hours per week for Teamsters Local Union 734, Joint
Council 25, or any other employer that participated in the Health and Welfare Fund.
7.

It was further part of the scheme that CULLERTON obtained payment

for approximately $21,678 in health care benefits, items, and services from the Teamsters
Local Union 734 Health and Welfare Fund even though he was not eligible to participate
in the health and welfare plan as an active employee.
In violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1035(a)(1).

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 FORFEITURE ALLEGATION
The SPECIAL DECEMBER 2017 GRAND JURY alleges:
1.

Upon conviction of an offense in violation of Title 18, United States Code,

Sections 371 and 1035(a)(1), and Title 29, United States Code, Section 501(c), as set forth
in this indictment, defendant THOMAS E. CULLERTON shall forfeit to the United
States of America any property which constitutes and is derived from proceeds traceable
to the offense, as provided in Title 18, United States Code, Sections 981(a)(1)(C) and
982(a)(7), and Title 28, United States Code, Section 2461(c).
2.

The property to be forfeited includes, but is not limited to, a personal money

judgment in the amount of at least approximately $274,066.
3.

If any of the property described above, as a result of any act or omission by

a defendant: cannot be located upon the exercise of due diligence; has been transferred
or sold to, or deposited with, a third party; has been placed beyond the jurisdiction of the
Court; has been substantially diminished in value; or has been commingled with other
property which cannot be divided without difficulty, the United States of America shall
be entitled to forfeiture of substitute property, including, but not limited to, the following
property, as provided in Title 21, United States Code, Section 853(p):

The real property

commonly known as 126 North Charles Avenue, Villa Park, Illinois 60181, legally
described as follows:
LOT 76 IN F.D. PAYNE’S ADDITION TO VILLA PARK,
BEING A SUBDIVISION IN THE SOUTHWEST
QUARTER OF SECTION 3, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH,
RANGE 11, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL
17

 MERIDIAN, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF
RECORDED APRIL 8, 1922, AS DOCUMENT 155003, IN
DUPAGE COUNTY, ILLINOIS. PIN: 06-03-310-019.

A TRUE BILL:

____________________________
FOREPERSON

_________________________________
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

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