Tag: Union

Riots caused 'generational damage' to police discourse, but union president sees improvement in this city

Three years after the City of Roses gained international notoriety for its anti-law enforcement protests, the head of Portland’s police union says attitudes toward public safety are finally improving. “There were decisions that were made that led to public safety crumbling in Portland. It takes time to fix that. It’s not overnight,” Portland Police Association … Continue reading Riots caused 'generational damage' to police discourse, but union president sees improvement in this city

Police union manager in California allegedly imported illegal opioids from India, Hong Kong, Singapore

The office manager for a Northern California police union allegedly imported illegal synthetic opioids from India and other countries and at least once used her work computer and address and the union’s UPS account to ship the drugs within the country, federal prosecutors said.

Joanne Marian Segovia, executive director of the San Jose Police Officers’ Association, was charged with attempting to unlawfully import valeryl fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, federal prosecutors said in a statement Wednesday. If convicted, she faces up to 20 years in prison.

Starting in 2015, Segovia had at least 61 drug shipments mailed to her San Jose home from India, Hong Kong, Hungary and Singapore with manifests that listed their contents as “wedding party favors,” “gift makeup,” “chocolate and sweets” and “food supplement,” according to a federal criminal complaint unsealed Tuesday.

FENTANYL OVERDOSES BECOME NO. 1 CAUSE OF DEATH AMONG US ADULTS, AGES 18-45: ‘A NATIONAL EMERGENCY’

It was not immediately known if Segovia, 64, has an attorney who can speak on her behalf.

Tom Saggau, a spokesperson for the police union in San Jose, said Segovia, a civilian, has worked for the union since 2003, planning funerals for officers who die in the line of duty, being the liaison between the department and the officers’ families and organizing office festivities and fundraisers.

He said that federal officials informed the union last Friday that Segovia was under investigation and that no one else at the union was involved or knew about Segovia’s alleged acts.

The revelation shocked her colleagues, Saggau said.

“We didn’t have any reason to suspect her,” he said, adding that the union’s board of directors has pledged to fully support the federal investigation.

Federal prosecutors said that in 2019, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers intercepted a parcel being sent to her home address that contained $5,000 worth of Tramadol, a synthetic opioid, and sent her a letter telling her they were seizing the pills. The next year, the CBP again intercepted a shipment of Tramadol valued at $700 and sent her a seizure letter, court records showed.

But federal officials didn’t start investigating Segovia until last year when investigators found her name and home address on the cellphone of a suspected drug dealer who is part of a network that ships controlled substances made in India to the San Francisco Bay Area, according to the complaint. That drug trafficking network has distributed hundreds of thousands of pills in 48 states, federal prosecutors said.

OPIOID DRUGS CAUSE MORE THAN HALF OF YOUNG CHILDREN’S POISONING DEATHS: NEW STUDY

Segovia used WhatsApp messaging service and her personal and office computers to order thousands of opioid tablets and other pills to her home and agreed to distribute the drugs elsewhere in the United States, prosecutors said.

On at least one occasion in 2021, Segovia shipped the illicit drugs to a North Carolina address by using the police union’s UPS account, prosecutors said. That address is linked to at least five illicit drug seizures, they said.

Investigators found hundreds of photographs in a WhatsApp chat on Segovai’s cellphone, including an image of the UPS shipping slip and another one of a computer screen showing a PayPal payment to an Indian name and Segovia’s police union business cards under it.

“Based on my training and experience, I know that shippers of controlled substances often send receipts and tracking numbers as proof that they in fact sent a package. I believe that the receipt provided by SEGOVIA was offered by her as proof that she sent a package to the North Carolina addressee,” David Vargas, a special agent for Homeland Security Investigation, wrote in the affidavit.

According to the complaint, Segovia continued to order controlled substances even after being interviewed by federal investigators in February. On March 13, federal agents seized a parcel in Kentucky, containing valeryl fentanyl, addressed to Segovia. The package allegedly originated from China three days earlier and declared its contents as a “clock,” prosecutors said.

Is Credit Union Direct Lending a Valid Option for Your Business?

Banks aren’t opening their vaults as easily for businesses these days as they have in the past. Many business owners are finding it necessary to get creative when it comes to business funding.  In many cases, credit unions are seizing the opportunity to step in and fill the gap.

Credit Union Direct Lending Works Well for Some Businesses, Is Yours One of Them?

In fact, back in 2018, Member Business Lending (MBL), partnered with CU Direct to help this process along. MBL is the leading credit union service provider when it comes to business loan origination services.  CU Direct, well known for the CUDL (Credit Union Direct Lending) system, works with thousands of auto dealerships to help facilitate auto-financing through credit unions.

Credit Line Hybrid Financing: Get up to $150,000 in financing so your business can thrive.

Together, the two are able to streamline the credit union business loan processes.  It’s a good thing too, because more and more businesses are looking to credit unions to get the funding they need since banks aren’t coughing it up.

So, is credit union direct lending right for your business? Let’s find out.

What Does it Take to Qualify for Business Loan From a Credit Union?

While all lenders have their own requirements, it’s a fair bet you are going to need to provide the following to any lender.

  • Loan application form
  • Personal financial statement
  • Business plan
  • At least three years of financial statements and tax returns for existing businesses

Most lenders will be looking for the following:

  • Regular income sufficient to repay the loan along and stay solvent
  • A good credit history
  • Collateral
  • Financials in line with or exceeding peers.
  • Owner equity in the business.

If you cannot provide all of the information, it could go a couple of ways. They could automatically deny the loan. However, some credit unions are willing to review the information provided.

Credit Line Hybrid Financing: Get up to $150,000 in financing so your business can thrive.

A complete loan application will typically include:

  • Current financial statements to within 3 months, and three years of past financial statements and tax returns
  • Personal financial statements from all principals of the business
  • A description of the collateral or purchase receipts or quotes if the loan is for new equipment
  • Projections on a month by month basis for up to two years, or the length of the loan if less than 2 years
  • A complete, professional business plan
  • Authorization for loan request from Board of Directors or partners
  • Personal guarantee

It’s important to note that personal credit score is handled differently by each institution when it comes to credit union business loans. It’s a fair bet that if they are asking for a personal guarantee, they are going to want to see a strong personal credit score.

However, we have heard from at least one credit union that this is not always the case. This particular credit union does not have a standard minimum credit score requirement.  They say they take each loan application on a case by case basis.

So, even if you do not have a great personal credit score, if you are strong in the other areas you may still qualify for a business loan from a credit union.  You just have to find the right lender.

Why Can Loans from a Credit Union be a Good Option?

So, why would you pursue a loan from a credit union over a loan at a bank?  In short, lower interest rates and fees. Credit unions are cooperative, non-profit organizations.  As such, they do not pay federal and state income taxes. So, they are able to pass the savings on in the form of lower rates and fees.

Due to a difference in structure and loan application review processes, credit unions are also often able to process loans much more quickly than banks.

Credit Line Hybrid Financing: Get up to $150,000 in financing so your business can thrive.

What if Loans from a Credit Union Are Not an Option?

At this point, you are likely either thinking, “I can do this!” or “What am I going to do now?”  You’ve either realized you’ve got this in the bag, or you know you need to pursue other options until you get some issues taken care of.

There are a few things you can do. If you need money right now, you can look at getting a loan from an alternative lender. Credit Suite’s Credit Line Hybrid funding may also be an option. There are a lot of funding options out there.

Whatever you do, it’s likely you need to work on your fundability while you do it. Most business loan denials result from a fundability issue. You can get a free consultation with a business credit expert to help you analyze your fundability.  They can show you what you can do to improve your chances of approval.  With strong fundability, you’ll be able to get the best deals on the business funding you need, when you need it.

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