Almost forty years have passed since the disappearance of Jimmy Hoff. Numerous attempts to detect fragments of his body did not lead to a positive result. FBI employees admitted their powerlessness after another study of the wasteland near Detroit. Such individuals belong to the category of “union bosses”. Hoffa was one of these people, so his loss caused a lot of confusion.
Hard childhood
Jimmy was born in 1913. Father is a simple miner in a small town called Brazil in Indiana. He passed away when his son reached the age of seven. A widowed woman with four children, in search of a better life, settled in Detroit. The unenviable financial situation of the family made the 14-year-old teenager get a job as a laborer in a grocery store and leave school at the same time. Hard work was paid not too generously, no social guarantees were provided. Jimmy Hoff is remembered as a quiet boy who worked hard, but in his head he bore special plans for life.
The period of the 1920s in the history of the USA was marked by the intensification of the struggle for their working class rights. On this wave, the role of trade unions has increased. Employees of the grocery store, where their own union cell was formed, did not stand aside from this movement. By nature, Jimmy Hoff was extremely talented, energetic and persistent. In the eyes of the young worker who was negotiating with the leadership of the trading establishment, there was not even a shadow of timidity. This circumstance was duly appreciated by the comrades and contributed to the growth of authority. All his future life the young man devoted to the trade union movement. In those turbulent years, defending the interests of workers was fraught with great risk - at any time you could rattle in prison.
Jimmy's growing popularity
The efforts of a purposeful young man led to the desired results, contributed to increasing the reputation. In 1932, Jimmy was noticed, they only spoke positively of him. Truckers called him to organize the work of the Detroit union office. Hoffa lived up to their trust. The Detroit Union has evolved from a regular branch into one of the most powerful associations in the United States, which has been dubbed the International Brotherhood of Truck Drivers.
In 1933, the organization had 75 thousand people, and after 3 years the number of union members reached almost 150 thousand. The union has steadily replenished and expanded like a snowball. By the end of the 40s, there were already 1 million participants in the ranks. Jimmy Hoffa skillfully maneuvered: in some cases he preferred strikes, in others - negotiations with employers, where he applied the talent of a diplomat.
The dark side of unions
When mentioning trade unions in the United States, mysterious connections with dubious individuals cannot be ignored. A careful study led to the conclusion that a motley audience was found in their midst: mafia elements, defectors and traitors, including even police officers. There is nothing surprising in that, none of them gave up the desire to profit from a simple working people. Nor did they feel remorse.
And the year 1952 was marked by a change in the head of the trade union of truck drivers. Finally, Dan Tobbin decided to step down as president of this organization. The vacant seat was to be taken by Vice President Dave Beck, who was opposed by some union members. After the suppression of the outbreak of rebellion within the governing body, they settled on the compromise figure of Jimmy Hoff.
Sunset career
The new president could not overcome such evil as corruption. Gradually, it was rampant. Not only that, Jimmy was suspected of repeated attempts to bribe an adviser who was part of a committee created by the Senate. As a result, the American Senate even had to create a special committee in 1957, which was headed by John McClellan. The duties of the legal adviser were performed by the young Robert Kennedy, these were his first steps on the career ladder in politics.
No matter how he denied the accusations against him, but this did not affect the decision of the Federal District Court. Jimmy was forbidden to take up duties until all charges were finally dropped. Since the jury did not present a verdict, the court acquitted him. Robert Kennedy regarded this decision as an insult, since, from his point of view, it turned out to be unfair. And it hurt him so much that later, as the Minister of Justice, he directed all his efforts to the fight against organized crime and tried to hide the leader of the trade unions in prison. The last question was dealt with by a whole group of investigators. The mystery of Jimmy Hoffa has not yet been solved, but it was during this period that a real threat hung over a respected person.
Allegations of corruption
In 1964, justice triumphed. Robert Kennedy succeeded - Jimmy Hoff was sentenced to 8 years in prison for trying to persuade a member of the Grand Jury to violate the law. In addition, fraudulent manipulations in the pension fund were the result of a 5-year extension. However, fate was favorable to him. The 13-year summary period announced at the beginning was reduced to 5 years of isolation from society.
US authorities have taken care of the former "union boss" who has been imprisoned. He was provided with a prosperous future by having a substantial pension of $ 2 million. Moreover, he received it immediately in full.
James Riddle Jimmy Hoff was pardoned. But he had to forget about the positions in the trade union organization until the term prescribed in the sentence expired. Success was promoted by impudent character of Jimmy Hoff. However, the ship's application sent to the White House was not satisfied.
Favorite movie image
Such an influential person attracted the attention of directors. From the movie, people found out who the real Jimmy Hoff is. The filmography, in which the actors of this person embodied, includes the following projects:
- "John F. Kennedy: Shots in Dallas" - 1991.
- "The most high-profile crimes of the twentieth century" (1992).
- American Justice (1992–2005 series).
- American Adventure (1988-2012)
