FORMER LOCAL UNION TREASURER INDICTED FOR OVER $200,000 THEFT FROM COMMUNICATION WORKERS OF AMERICA OFFICE

Posted on 4/1/2020

Defendant: Christal Denise Harris

Prosecutor Ron O’Brien said, “This woman was an entrusted employee who abused her elected position with CWA Local #4501 for her own personal gain by stealing over $200,000.”  Prosecutor Ron O’Brien announces that the Franklin County Grand Jury has returned a nine count indictment against Christal Denise Harris, age 37, for one count of Theft, one count of Theft in Office, two counts of Misuse of Credit Cards, and for five counts of Forgery.  Harris, who was an employee in the Student Life office at the Ohio State University, had been elected to be the Union Rep and to serve as the treasurer of the CWA Local #4501 located at 27 Euclid Avenue in Columbus since June 29^th, 2015 and was responsible as the custodian of all assets of the Local, to report to each monthly membership meeting the financial status of the Local, and for the payment of all bills.  It is alleged that between August of 2015 through January 2020, Harris had been using her assigned debit card to make unauthorized personal purchases and ATM withdrawals in excess of $106,000.  Also, during the years of 2018 and 2019 it is alleged that Harris wrote dozens of checks to herself for approximately $102,000.  Harris did not have the authority to write checks to herself and all checks required an authorizing signature from both the treasurer and union president.  The indictment also alleges that Harris forged the union president’s signature on checks.  “In total, it is alleged that Harris took $208,267.44 from the union,” O’Brien stated.  Arraignment for Harris is scheduled for Wednesday, April 15 at 1:30 pm in courtroom 2A at 345 S. High Street in downtown Columbus.