Freeman, You Magnificent Bastard!

Paul Pringle is seriously all up in Andy Stern's grill of late...

The union of low-wage caregivers that Tyrone Freeman once headed has taken him to court to demand restitution of more than $1.1 million -- dues money that allegedly financed his lifestyle of $175 glasses of cognac, $250 bottles of wine and a $3,400 trip to the NFL's Pro Bowl in Hawaii.

The lawsuit filed by a Los Angeles-based chapter of the Service Employees International Union opens another legal front in a scandal that dates to last summer and remains the subject of a federal criminal investigation.

In the civil complaint, brought in Los Angeles County Superior Court, the United Long-Term Care Workers accuses Freeman of misappropriating funds in a broad scheme to enrich himself and his relatives. Named as co-defendants are his wife, Pilar Planells; his mother-in-law, Carmen Planells; and the video and day-care companies they operated out of their homes.

The suit, which also seeks unspecified punitive damages and legal costs, alleges breach of contract and fiduciary duty and conversion of union funds for personal benefit.

Freeman and the Planellses could not be reached for comment, and Freeman's lawyer did not respond to interview requests.

No word on whether Rickman Jackson or Annelle Grajeda had any comment either.

Any story involving the SEIU has to go to Baghdad Michelle for comment, and as always she does not fail to disappoint...

"We are going to do absolutely everything in our power to make sure that he is held accountable to the members," SEIU spokeswoman Michelle Ringuette said Tuesday.

Thanks for that vote of confidence regarding accountability to members there, Michelle.

When you figure out how to make SEIU accountable to the UHW members who want out of the Purple Prison, you get back to us on that "accountability" thing, mmmKay?