teacher

Ex-President of Broward Teacher Union Gets More Prison Time

The former president of the Broward Teachers Union has been sentenced to another year and a half in prison, on top of five years he already received for fraud and campaign finance violations.

The Sun Sentinel reports that a federal judge rejected part of a plea agreement Friday for Patrick Santeramo, who ran the union for 11 years, and gave him the additional prison time. A Broward circuit judge sentenced Santeramo on state charges last week.

Between 2001 and January 2012, authorities say Santeramo diverted about $165,500 in union money to himself through a kickback scheme with a construction company. Santeramo was ordered to pay $165,500 in restitution to a pair of insurance companies.

Santeramo also made illegal campaign contributions by having 25 people make the donations and then reimbursing them with teacher union money.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
Contact Us