NORRISTOWN, Penn. A state court refused to dismiss fraud charges against the former CEO of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1776 FCU, meaning the one-time credit union executive will have to stand trial a second time for fraud for allegedly giving herself unauthorized pay raises.
Anne Clyburn was convicted of embezzling more than $32,000 from the small credit union in 2010, but the conviction was thrown out after an appeals court found that Clyburn, who was representing herself at trial, did not fully understand her waiver of counsel, and a new trial was ordered.
At that time, an appeals panel vacated Clyburn’s one-to-seven-year prison sentence and ordered a new trial, explaining its review of the case indicated a prosecutor failed to specifically define the exact nature and elements of each of the charges lodged against Clyburn. Clyburn’s latest request for a dismissal of charges was denied yesterday by the state court and a trial was scheduled for June 3.
Clyburn took over as head of the credit union in July 2000 and served in that position until February 2007. When Clyburn was fired, the board of the $8-million credit union ordered an audit after it discovered some financial improprieties. The audit revealed Clyburn, who was earning a yearly salary of $70,000, gave herself raises, receiving a total of $32,469 in additional unauthorized compensation.
