Ex-Detroit union leader charged with stealing over $600,000

DETROIT –  A man who was a union leader in Detroit has been charged with embezzling more than $600,000.

Mervin Hawk appeared in federal court Monday and asked for a court-appointed lawyer. Federal investigators say he diverted union dues from AFSCME Local 1640 into secret bank accounts or his own personal account over a two-year period.

Hawk was president of Local 1640 from 2013 through 2015. AFSCME stands for American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

The government says Hawk withdrew large sums of money from ATMs at Motor City Casino.