Briefly... CITY/REGION
Three charged with scam Zane Memeger, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, announced yesterday that three area men were busted for allegedly running a telemarketing scam that bilked unsuspecting people out of $7.5 million.
Three charged with scam
Zane Memeger, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, announced yesterday that three area men were busted for allegedly running a telemarketing scam that bilked unsuspecting people out of $7.5 million.
Justin Diaczuk, 31, of Philadelphia, Blake Rubin, 30, of Huntington Valley, and Chase Rubin, 28, of Rydal, allegedly operated call centers that offered a phony general-purpose credit card that promised to help people to improve their credit scores.
The trio charged users $79.95 for "Platinum Trust Cards" and "Express Platinum Cards," authorities said. The cards, however, could only be used on one website, and had no impact on the users' credit scores.
The Federal Trade Commission shut down the operation in 2012. The three men have all been charged with mail and wire fraud.
Unions blast Obama's SEPTA panel
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers System Council No. 7 ripped a presidential panel yesterday for recently backing SEPTA management in an ongoing labor dispute.
President Obama appointed an emergency board to help mediate a long-running contract battle between SEPTA and Regional Rail engineers and electrical workers, who went on a one-day strike last month.
The board said rail workers ought to get the same 11.5 percent raises that SEPTA bus drivers and subway operators received in their last contract, but aren't entitled to retroactive raises.
In a joint statement, the two unions, which represent more than 400 SEPTA workers, said they were disappointed with the presidential board's recommendations, and want a settlement that treats their members fairly.
Showdown between Nutter, unions
Mayor Nutter's administration and the city's largest union presented arguments in Common Pleas Court yesterday over whether the city has the right to impose contract terms to end five years of fruitless negotiations between the two sides.
AFSCME District Council 33, which represents 8,000 blue-collar city employees who will be impacted by the decision, has been working without a contract since July 2009. Nutter has been seeking changes to pension benefits and overtime rules and the right to furlough workers, proposals the union has steadfastly rejected.
The two sides agreed to expedite the trial and skipped oral testimony. They will turn in final written arguments in 30 days, after which Judge Idee Fox will rule.
Any decision is likely to be appealed by the losing party.
- David Gambacorta & Sean Collins Walsh