Congress

Labor Union to Congress: Our Embezzlement Problems Got Bigger

NOTUS previously reported that a Seafarers International Union official allegedly embezzled from two political committees. The union told lawmakers it’s actually four.

David Heindel

Seafarers International Union President David Heindel has paid tens of thousands of dollars to cover the money his daughter allegedly embezzled from union political committees, according to federal campaign finance records. David Heindel/Creative Commons

By Taylor Giorno

June 30, 2026 05:07 a.m.

The Seafarers International Union told a House committee that the daughter of the union president allegedly embezzled from four union-linked political committees, double the number initially reported by NOTUS, according to a committee spokesperson.

The acknowledgement comes after NOTUS reported that the union suspected Chelsea Diab — daughter of the union’s president — of embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from two federal political committees the union controlled.

Citing NOTUS’ report, two top Republicans on the House Education and Workforce Committee sent a letter to the union this month demanding answers, including a full accounting of the scope of the alleged embezzlement.