12-28-2009, 06:00 PM
South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
Former Broward union boss to leave prison in May
By Scott Wyman, Sun Sentinel
December 23, 2009
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Before Scott Rothstein and his alleged Ponzi scheme, before Josephus Eggelletion was forced from the County Commission for money-laundering, one of Broward County's major political scandals dealt with union boss Walter "Buster" Browne.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons transferred Browne last month from a prison camp in Pensacola to a halfway house program in Miami. He is scheduled to be released May 4.
Browne's reign as one of the area's most powerful political figures ended in 2004 when he and his sister were convicted of federal racketeering and corruption charges. It was the result of almost two decades of surveillance and subpoenas.
Jurors concluded that Browne and Patricia Devaney had lined their pockets by running the Federation of Public and Private Employees as an organized crime empire. Browne was sentenced to six years in prison.
According to testimony, Browne and Devaney dipped into union funds for airline tickets, meals and cellular phones. They helped themselves to other unauthorized perks, including cars and expensive tickets to sporting events. They used the union's Plantation headquarters for Friday poker games. And, they conspired to destroy records, covering up their graft.
Browne's clout was immense. He was a member of the independent governing board that once controlled Port Everglades in addition to running the union that represents more than 7,000 jailers, park employees, school bus drivers, court clerks, city hall secretaries and dockworkers.
Scott Wyman can be reached at swyman@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4511.
Copyright © 2009, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Former Broward union boss to leave prison in May
By Scott Wyman, Sun Sentinel
December 23, 2009
clear pixel
Before Scott Rothstein and his alleged Ponzi scheme, before Josephus Eggelletion was forced from the County Commission for money-laundering, one of Broward County's major political scandals dealt with union boss Walter "Buster" Browne.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons transferred Browne last month from a prison camp in Pensacola to a halfway house program in Miami. He is scheduled to be released May 4.
Browne's reign as one of the area's most powerful political figures ended in 2004 when he and his sister were convicted of federal racketeering and corruption charges. It was the result of almost two decades of surveillance and subpoenas.
Jurors concluded that Browne and Patricia Devaney had lined their pockets by running the Federation of Public and Private Employees as an organized crime empire. Browne was sentenced to six years in prison.
According to testimony, Browne and Devaney dipped into union funds for airline tickets, meals and cellular phones. They helped themselves to other unauthorized perks, including cars and expensive tickets to sporting events. They used the union's Plantation headquarters for Friday poker games. And, they conspired to destroy records, covering up their graft.
Browne's clout was immense. He was a member of the independent governing board that once controlled Port Everglades in addition to running the union that represents more than 7,000 jailers, park employees, school bus drivers, court clerks, city hall secretaries and dockworkers.
Scott Wyman can be reached at swyman@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4511.
Copyright © 2009, South Florida Sun-Sentinel