Former construction Union Boss John Setka has been arrested and charged by Victoria Police after allegedly sending threatening and harassing emails to a union manager.
The 61-year-old was arrested at a house on foot at about 6.40am on Wednesday. Police searched the property and recovered a mobile phone and an iPad.
Setka was later charged with seven counts of “using a telecom communication device to harass, intimidate and commit crime”.
The police operation was led by Taskforce Hawk, which was established in July 2024 to target allegations of criminal behavior linked to the construction industry.
According to the police, Setka sent “several allegedly threatening, offensive and abusive emails in a notice to the CFMEU sent on 27 October and a follow-up letter sent on 28 October”.
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He is singing and will appear before the Melbourne Magistrates Court on 30 January.
Victoria Police Assistant On Martin O’Brien, urged anyone with “information about behavior witnessed at any construction industry work to come forward and speak to police”.
“As always, these can be anonymous and reports are treated in the strictest confidence,” Obrien said.
“We will not tolerate behavior that seeks to intimidate and intimidate people who want to go to work and do their job to the best of their ability.”
Setka stepped down after 12 years as head of the Construction, Forestry, Maritime and Energy Union of Victoria in 2024 following a nine-year investigation into allegations in the construction industry.
The report on the nine considered construction projects in New Victorian and New South Wales is driven by numbers under the numbers and vices acting as union delegates.
Seteka said the allegations against the union were false but said he would step down to stop the stories.
The establishment of a general division of the union, including all branches of the state, was placed by the administration in mid-2024 in response to the grave error, corruption and violence.
Setka rejected the allegations and fought his expulsion from the Party in court but was stripped months after his estranged wife was convicted.
He also faces legal action by the Fair Work Ombudsman over allegations he tried to force the AFL to sack its chief umpire.
The Ombudsman said that Setka intended to stop the AFL from resigning Stephen Mcburney, the former head of the now defunct Australian Housing and Construction Commission.
Setka directed police in September 2024 to appear on government building sites to attack the Victorian and Federal governments, but he did not face charges for the visits.