WHEELING, W.V. – A federal judge on Friday appointed a public defender for the former president of Center Valley FCU, accused of siphoning as much as $9 million from the now-defunct credit union.
"This is a conditional order. If the judge decides the defendant has assets he may well appoint attorneys costs," said Brian Kornbrath, the public defender assigned Bernie Metz, who is charged with the massive embezzlement.
Kornbrath noted that the U.S. Marshall’s office last week seized three bank accounts, as well as six vehicles and the business operated by Metz and her family, the Roadworthy Restaurant and Tavern in West Liberty, W.V., severally hampering her ability to pay attorneys fees.
Metz is due in court Wednesday for a civil forfeiture hearing to discuss the parameters of the temporary order seizing her assets, Kornbrath told The Credit Union Journal on Friday.
The one-time $8 million credit union, which was chartered in 1975 to serve employees of the Ohio Valley Medical Center and the underserved area in south Wheeling, was closed on Feb. 13 after NCUA uncovered discrepancies in the books.
The books indicated the credit union’s 3,150 members had more than $17 million on deposit, but NCUA was only able to find about $8 million. They believe the rest was stolen by Metz.
The assets seized last week by the IRS and U.S. Marshall’s office are: six vehicles (including two Mercedes); three accounts at Progressive Bank; the Metz residence in Valley Grove, W.V., and the Roadworthy Restaurant.
