February 4, 2005

PRESS RELEASE

FORMER BUSINESS MANAGER OF TUNNEL WORKERS LOCAL 88
INDICTED ON FEDERAL RACKETEERING CHARGES

Boston, MA... The former Business Manager of Tunnel Workers Local 88 was arrested today on federal racketeering charges.

United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan; Mark R. Trouville, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in New England; Robert L. Panella, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations of the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration,; Kenneth Kaiser, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in New England; Robin M. Avers, Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Kathleen M. O'Toole, Commissioner of the Boston Police Department; and Robert Crowley, Chief of the Quincy Police Department, announced that a nine-count Indictment was unsealed today charging SCOTT BOIDI, age 46, of 32 Water Street, Pembroke, Massachusetts, with one count of Racketeering, three counts of Embezzlement of Union Assets, one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, one count of Use of a Communication Facility in Furtherance of a Crime, one count of Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime; and two counts of Witness Tampering.

From June of 1991 through May of 2002, BOIDI served as the Business Manager of Local 88 of the Tunnelworkers with principal offices located at 279 Northern Avenue in Boston and 170 Washington Street in Quincy. As Business Manager, BOIDI was responsible for, among other things, the processing of membership applications, which included collecting initiation fees from prospective members and placing members in jobs. The Indictment charges BOIDI with having used the union as an enterprise to engage in a pattern of racketeering which included stealing union assets, mail fraud, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, carrying a gun and tampering with witnesses.

The Indictment alleges that on at least two occasions BOIDI accepted things of value meant to influence him to grant an individual membership in Local 88 and also place the individual in a job. BOIDI is also alleged to have embezzled over $25,000 in union assets for his own use.

The Indictment further alleges that from January 2000 to June 2002, BOIDI possessed and distributed over 500 grams of cocaine. The Indictment also alleges that BOIDI possessed a 9 mm handgun during and in relation to this drug crime.

Lastly, the Indictment alleges that BOIDI intimidated, threatened or corruptly persuaded a witness to lie to a federal grand jury sitting in Massachusetts causing the witness to withhold testimony from the grand jury. It is also alleged that BOIDI corruptly and by threats obstructed a pending matter before the National Labor Relations Board.

BOIDI was arrested today on the charges and will have an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith G. Dein. If convicted, BOIDI faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on the Racketeering charge; 5 years in prison on each of the three Embezzlement of Union Assets charges; a mandatory minimum of 5 years in prison on the Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine charge; 4 years in prison on the Use of a Communication Device in Furtherance of a Crime charge; 5 years in prison, to be served consecutive to any other prison term imposed, on the Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime count; 10 years in prison on the Witness Tampering count involving Grand Jury testimony; and 5 years on the Witness Tampering count involving the National Labor Relations Board matter.

The investigation is continuing.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations of the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Boston Police Department's Special Investigation's Unit and the Quincy Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura J. Kaplan in Sullivan's Organized Crime Strike Force Unit.

The details contained in the Indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Press Contact: Samantha Martin, (617) 748-3139