Former Teacher Union President Indicted For Casino Gambling Spree
Many people enjoy going to the casino and spending some money gambling while having fun with friends, but Claraliene Gordon apparently took her leisure gambling to far by using funds that were not hers.
The former Camden teachers union president was indicted Thursday on charges that she diverted the labor groups funds to her own use, and the majority of the money that was diverted went to casino gambling, according to officials.
Around twenty five times the former president used her union card to help finance her gambling habit according to State Attorney General Anne Milgram, although Gordon has a different version of the story.
She claims that the money was used for union business and several times was used for hotel rooms for an education convention, however, she had already received union checks to pay for these and other expenses she claims she used the card for.
Gordon has paid $7,000 of the alleged $15,000 that union members questioned her about, but she has yet to pay back the other half.
If convicted, Gordon, 66, who is now retired, faces up to 1 $15,000 fine and five years in prison for each charge.
Another side to this story is that the CEA had not reimbursed the city school district for Gordon's salary for a few years, a debt that the union is now repaying in the amount of $280,000.
