NEWS RELEASE
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
WESTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA
Julia C. Dudley Acting United States Attorney Brian McGinn Public Affairs Specialist |
BB&T Building 310 1st Street, S.W., Room 906 Roanoke, Virginia 24011 (540) 857-2974 FAX (540) 857-2179 |
July 8, 2008
FORMER EMPLOYEE OF SPERRY MARINE FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
PLEADS GUILTY TO CREDIT UNION EMBEZZLEMENT
Acting United States Attorney Julia C. Dudley announced today Taisha Hardy, age 27, of Charlottesville, Virginia has pleaded guilty to one count of credit union fraud in United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Charlottesville for her role in a conspiracy to embezzle funds from the Sperry Marine Federal Credit Union.
In addition, Jessica Dawn Thomas, age 26, also of Charlottesville, and a co-conspirator in the embezzlement, was sentenced today in District Court in Charlottesville to two years of probation for her role in the scheme. As a condition of her sentence, Thomas will be required to spend 90 days in home confinement. She pled guilty to a one count information on August 20, 2007.
“These two young women violated the trust bestowed upon them by both the financial institution that employed them and its customers,” Acting United States Attorney Julia C. Dudley said today. “For violating that trust, they must be brought to justice.”
According to evidence presented at today’s guilty plea hearing it was determined that Hardy and Thomas, using other people’s names, took out loans from the credit union. The two withdrew money from the false loan accounts they created and spent those funds for their personal use. In all, the credit union determined a loss of approximately $83,500.
At sentencing, Hardy faces a maximum penalty of 30 years imprisonment and a fine of $1,000,000. Both Hardy and Thomas will be required to pay restitution to the credit union in the amount illegally obtained.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the United States Secret Service for the United States Attorney’s Office, Western District of Virginia. Assistant United States Attorney Nancy Healey is prosecuting the case.