Charles O'Brien (unionist)

Charles "Chuckie" O'Brien (December 20, 1933 – February 13, 2020) was an American labor union organizer. He was closely linked to International Brotherhood of Teamsters President Jimmy Hoffa. He referred to himself as Hoffa's stepson The FBI indicated that he was a habitual liar. O'Brien was born in Kansas City, Missouri. He was the son of Charles Lenton O'Brien and Sylvia Pagano. O'Brien's father died when he was still an infant. In 1957, he became special assistant to Hoffa. He was extremely loyal to Hoffa. Hoffa was convicted for jury tampering which was upheld by the Supreme Court. While in court, Hoffa was shot with BB gun. O'Brien attacked the man, leaving him bloodied. In 1966, after Hoffa went to prison, for jury tampering Frank Fitzsimons took over the Teamsters as temporary president. Before Hoffa's disappearance, new Teamsters President Frank Fitzsimmons "exiled" O'Brien to Alaska. He spent just four days there.

On the day of Hoffa's disappearance O'Brien was seeing driving the car of Anthony Giacalone's son. O'Brien was close to and referred to him as "Uncle Tony." In August 1975, he was questioned by federal agents in regards to Hoffa's disappearance. In 1978 O'Brien was an official with Teamsters Local 299 in Detroit.

In 1995 the FBI did not consider O'Brien a suspect in the disappearance and provided him with a letter asking him for his cooperation in the investigation. In 2001, he was asked to take a polygraph during an investigation into the disappearance of Hoffa but refused. Using DNA testing, in 2001, the FBI linked human hair and hair stands found in the car driven by O'Brien to Hoffa. O'Brien died of an apparent heart attack in 2020.