Union Boss Charged With Extortion

MANHATTAN (CN) - A 75-year-old school bus drivers union boss was arrested Thursday and charged with extorting $500,000 from bus company owners. Warren J. Annunziata, a boss in Local 91 of the United Craft and Industrial Workers' Union, is charged with extortion and violating the Taft-Hartley Act.

Annunziata was arrested at his home in Roslyn Heights, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. Local 91 represents about 2,000 workers, including bus drivers who work on contracts with the New York City Department of Education. Annunziata has been president and executive director of the Local, and is its pension fund administrator, prosecutors said. He's accused of abusing his position from 1992 through 2009 "to solicit and collect cash payments totaling over $500,000 from various bus company owners whose employees were members of Local 91."

If convicted of both counts, he faces up to 25 years in prison and fines of $250,000 or twice the money he made.

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