HONOLULU (AP) -- The state director of the 12,000-member United Public Workers union and his daughter were convicted Tuesday on federal charges of mail fraud, money laundering and embezzlement stemming from union dental and medical contracts.þþA jury deliberated about 11 hours over two days before returning the verdict against Gary Rodrigues and his daughter, Robin Rodrigues Sabatini.þþRodrigues was found guilty on all 101 counts against him; Sabatini was convicted of 95.þþNo sentencing date was set.þþRodrigues, his daughter and family members refused comment after the verdict. Rodrigues at one point grabbed a television reporter's microphone and threw it to the sidewalk.þþDefense attorney Doron Weinberg said an appeal was planned. ``I think that this is an injustice,'' Weinberg said after court.þþProsecutors did not immediately comment.þþThe government contended Rodrigues negotiated dental and medical contracts with consulting fees that he funneled to his daughter's two companies, Four Winds RSK Inc. and Aulii Inc.þþThe mail fraud charges stemmed from 50 separate checks mailed to Four Winds and Aulii Inc. allegedly for consulting work not done. The embezzlement charges accused Rodrigues of using union assets to pay his daughter's bogus consulting fees.þþThe money-laundering counts stemmed from the deposit of the consulting checks into the accounts of Sabatini's companies.þþAccording to an indictment handed down in March 2001, Rodrigues initiated the scheme in 1992.þþ
Source: NY Times
