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Ex-Texas union boss gets prison for stealing $280K in guild funds

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Published  January 30, 2026 1:34pm CST
Texas
FOX Local
Prison bars. article

(Getty Images)

The Brief

    • Robert Cirilo, former president of the United Steelworkers Local 13-1647 in Corpus Christi, has been sentenced to months in prison for embezzlement and wire fraud.
    • Federal prosecutors said Cirilo pleaded guilty to the charges and admitted the theft totaled more than $280,000.
    • Cirilo used union debit cards to make 430 unauthorized purchases, according to prosecutors.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - An ex-Texas union boss has been sentenced to months in prison for stealing money from the guild he led.

What we know:

According to federal prosecutors, 42-year-old Robert Cirilo, former president of the United Steelworkers Local 13-1647 in Corpus Christi, pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud and embezzlement from a labor organization in April.

Prosecutors said that Cirilo used union debit cards to make about 430 unauthorized purchases over the course of nearly three years. He then lied to union members about the transactions.

As part of his plea, prosecutors said, Cirilo admitted the theft totaled more than $280,000.

What's next:

This week, Cirilo was sentenced to 21 months in prison to be followed by three years of probation, according to prosecutors. He was also ordered to pay restitution.

The Source: Information in this story came from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Texas.

TexasCrime and Public Safety