Jimmy Hoffa

Jimmy Hoffa

James Riddle "Jimmy" Hoffa (born February 14, 1913 – disappeared July 30, 1975, declared legally dead July 30, 1982) was an American labor union leader and convicted criminal.

Hoffa was involved with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) union as an organizer from 1932 to 1975. By 1952, Hoffa had risen to national vice-president of the IBT, which was on its way to becoming the largest and most powerful single union in the US. He served as the union's General President from 1958 to 1971. He secured the first national agreement for teamsters' rates in 1964, and played a major role in the growth and development of the union, which eventually became the largest single union in the United States, with over 1.5 million members during his terms as its leader.

Hoffa, who had been convicted of jury tampering, attempted bribery, and fraud in 1964, was imprisoned in 1967, sentenced to 13 years, after exhausting the appeal process. In mid-1971 he resigned the Teamsters' presidency, an action that was part of a pardon agreement with US president Richard Nixon, to facilitate his release later that year. Nixon blocked Hoffa from union activities until 1980 (which would have been the end of his prison term, had he served the full sentence). Hoffa attempted to overturn this order and to regain support.

Hoffa was last seen in late July 1975, outside the Machus Red Fox, a suburban Detroit restaurant. His disappearance gave rise to many theories as to what had happened to him and where his body was hidden.