Opening arguments are expected on Monday in a case against John "Johnny Doc" Dougherty, former longtime head of Local 98 International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, on charges that allege that he, and others, defrauded the union he once led to the tune of more than $600,000.
This is the second trial for the former IBEW boss and it is seperate from another fraud case in which Dougherty, former Democratic city councilmember Bobby Henon and others were targeted by a federal indictment that detailed multiple crimes of public corruption.
Henon and Dougherty were found guilty of those public corruption charges back in 2021.
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This is a seperate case that has been postponed -- on several occasions -- since 2019. It alleges Dougherty, along with former president of Local 98 Brian Burrows and others, used union assets to fund personal expenses, like vacations, meals at restaurants, groceries and other costs.
Also, Dougherty and Burrows owned a bar together -- Doc’s Union Pub in South Philly's Pennsport neighborhood -- and this case claims union funds were used to afford renovations to the pub.
This case also will deal with allegations that union funds were used to influence political officials -- including a claim that union money was used to send former Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams' daughters to camp in 2015.
Williams pleaded guilty to bribery back in 2017.
Prosecutors allege that this spending was considered union expenses.
Dougherty and Burrows are facing trial while others charged with the pair pleaded guilty in this case in 2022.
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