IBEW Union Boss James Burke Faces Embezzlement Charges
James Burke, Financial Secretary of IBEW Local 549, is suspected of having embezzled union funds. Some people just can’t be trusted to keep their hands out of the cookie jar.
From the Department of Labor:
On January 7, 2026, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, James Burke, former Financial Secretary of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 549 (located in Huntington, W.Va.), was charged in a one-count information for embezzling union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia-Pittsburgh District Office.