Law enforcement agencies are conducting searches around Philadelphia targeting the city's electricians union and its politically powerful leader, John J. Dougherty.
An FBI spokeswoman would only say that the searches were related to "an ongoing investigation."
Sources said the investigation is a joint FBI/IRS probe into alleged misuse of union funds and has been under way for more than two years.
Anywhere from 10 to 15 locations are being searched, the sources said.
Also being searched was City Councilman Bobby Henon's City Hall office. Henon, a close ally of Doughtery and his spokeswoman, Jolene Nieves, did not immediately return calls Friday morning.
Law enforcement officials were at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 98's union hall at 17th and Spring Garden streets, which was cordoned off by police tape.
The FBI, as well as Pennsylvania State Police and Treasury Department authorities, were at Dougherty's South Philadelphia home Friday morning.
Fox29 video from the scene showed Dougherty outside his house while state troopers in uniform kept watch and other officials milled about.
Uniformed troopers stand guard w/John Dougherty while detectives carry out search warrant in his house @FOX29philly
The search attracted attention from neighbors; one man said people were interested in watching because Dougherty is well-known in the community as a "good guy."
FBI agents at Henon's office Friday declined to comment on the search.
Breaking: The FBI is at @BobbyHenon's City Hall office now. When I walked in I counted about a dozen FBI employees.
Dougherty has led the union, a major statewide campaign contributor, since 1993. He is also one of the city's most powerful Democrats; Dougherty and his union were key forces in the election of Jim Kenney as mayor and of Dougherty's brother, Kevin Dougherty, to the state Supreme Court.
The searches are not the first time Dougherty's finances have been under investigation.
In 2006, an FBI request for a search warrant alleged that Dougherty's bank records showed "what appears to be an effort to conceal financial dealings."
The warrant application, which surfaced in 2012 in filings related to a defamation lawsuit, said Dougherty had deposited $106,000 in cash between 2002 and 2005 that couldn't be traced to any known source. The document also questioned renovations made to Dougherty's home. No charges were filed against Dougherty.
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