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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Pot Union Boss Indicted|on Labor & Fraud Charges

OAKLAND, Calif. (CN) - Dan Rush, Oakland's leading union organizer for the cannabis industry, was arraigned in Federal Court Wednesday on multiple charges of fraud and labor law violations.

In August, the FBI's Public Corruption and Civil Rights Squad accused Rush of accepting more than $600,000 in cash and gifts from a dispensary operator for whom he allegedly sold favors and advised on unionization prevention tactics.

Rush was subsequently fired by the United Food and Commercial Workers, and a grand jury indicted him on the charges.

The charges are violations of the federal Taft-Hartley Act - also known as the Labor Management Relations Act - fraud, attempted extortion, conspiracy and money laundering by concealment.

If convicted, Rush could face up to 25 years in prison.

John Hemann with the U.S. Attorney's Office is prosecuting the case.

Rush has yet to hire private representation. During Wednesday's proceedings he was represented by William Osterhoudt, whose office is in San Francisco.

He is expected to appear before U.S. District Judge Haywood Gilliam again on Sept. 28.

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