SEABROOK — A former president of the United Federation of Special Police and Security Offices union representing Seabrook Station nuclear power plant security officers recently admitted to embezzling more than $14,000 from the union.

On October 2, 2015, in the United States District Court District of New Hampshire, Gregory Paradis, former Chief Steward of the United Federation of Special Police and Security Officers (UFSPSO), located in Seabrook, N.H., pled guilty to one count of embezzling $13,493 in union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c).  The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Boston-Buffalo District Office.

New Hampshire Power Plant Security Officers President Charged

On August 12, Gregory Paradis, former president of United Federation of Special Police and Security Officers (UFSPSO) Local 501, was charged in U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire in a one-count indictment with embezzling funds in an unspecified amount from the Seabrook, N.H. union, which represents workers at the nuclear power plant in that community.  UFSPSO, headquartered in Briarcliff Manor (Westchester County), N.Y., is distinct from another security employees union, the National Association of Special Police and Security Officers (NASPSO).  The indictment follows a probe by the U.S. Labor Department’s Office of Labor-Management Standards.

Ex-Seabrook nuke plant security guard admits embezzling

Posted Oct. 14, 2015 at 12:52 PM
Updated Oct 15, 2015 at 9:42 AM

SEABROOK — A former president of the union representing Seabrook Station nuclear power plant security officers recently admitted to embezzling more than $14,000 from the union.

Gregory Paradis pleaded guilty Oct. 2 in federal court to one count of embezzlement and theft of labor union assets as part of a negotiated plea deal. He is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 12. As part of the deal, prosecutors are recommending Paradis be sentenced to two years probation. The maximum sentence he could have faced was five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

According to court documents, Paradis became the president of the local United Federation of Special Police and Security Offices union in 2011 and opened a checking account for the group at TD Bank. Paradis and the vice president of the union, whose name was not identified in court records, were the only people who had access to the account that contained union dues.

Court documents state in December 2012, the vice president of the union discovered $15,000 was missing from the account. Paradis blamed a bank error when questioned about the discrepancy by the union vice president, according to court records. When Paradis resigned as president of the union Dec. 21, 2012, and later quit his job as a security guard, the vice president contacted Seabrook police Sgt. Brett Walker about the missing funds.

Court records show Walker spoke with Paradis, who initially denied stealing the money from the union. When questioned about the large withdrawals, Walker said Paradis refused to look at the statements, saying it would “make him sick” because he stole between $5,000 and $7,500.

In a second interview, Paradis told Walker he started taking small amounts from the account when he was out of work for 11 to 15 months due to an ankle injury he sustained playing basketball.

In another interview with Dennis O’Connor, an investigator for the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Management Standards, Paradis identified 41 occasions when he used the debit card at grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and other places to purchase items totaling $1,240. He also admitted to using the debit card 88 other times to make cash withdrawals totaling $9,691.

Investigators determined Paradis also stole $1,418 from the union by cashing in a union check in that amount at TD Bank, as well as $1,145 by depositing portions of three other union checks.

As part of the investigation, Paradis wrote a statement admitting the crime. “I was denied short- and long-term disability for reasons I do not understand today,” he wrote. “This was a decision I made to support money for my family to pay bills. I am ashamed of the decision I made and want to make it right. I would like to pay this debt by giving my tax return to the union till I am paid in full.”