May 5, 1998

Two top officials of a Boston laborers' union pleaded guilty to violating pension and labor laws. Joseph P. Mandarini, a sergeant-at-arms at Laborers' International Union Local 22, and his father, Louis A. Mandarini, business manager and chairman of the board, pleaded guilty to making false statements in violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and failing to file financial disclosure documents.

The men, owners of MJM Asbestos Abatement, had also been charged with failing to pay $ 120,000 into their own employees' health and pension benefits fund.

But under a plea agreement, the men paid $ 90,000 to the union's ERISA fund and prosecutors recommended Joseph Mandarini be sentenced to four months' imprisonment, to be followed by four months in home detention, and Louis Mandarini be sentenced to one year's probation. US District Judge Richard Stearns scheduled sentencing for July 2.