EPHRATA, Wash. – A former branch manager at Granco FCU this week was charged with stealing $56,212 from the credit union by adding money to his paycheck and inflating his vacation time.
Prosecutors learned of the alleged crime by the manager, Evan Jones, 56, when they were responding to a report that Jones planned to kill himself. When police arrived, they discovered a noose and a suicide note inside the house and Jones on the lawn, according to court records.
When an officer asked Jones why he planned to commit suicide, the former manager allegedly admitted to stealing from the company, and was informed a meeting of the credit union’s board of directors was about him, according to the police report.
Jones allegedly inflated his paycheck by $1,000 to $2,000 a month starting in February 2009 and lasting until December 2009, costing the $43 million credit union $26,500, according to the police report. He also reportedly added $25,226 in vacation time to his paycheck without deducting it from his accrual and cashed out 120 hours of vacation time he hadn’t earned.
When police questioned why he stole the money, he reportedly answered he was extended on his credit cards.
