MEMBER PLEADS GUILTY IN FRAUD
ANCHORAGE, Alaska-William E. Allen has pleaded guilty to bank fraud in a scam in which he attempted to pass counterfeit corporate checks. Among the institutions affected was Credit Union One. Under the scheme, Allen would deposit the checks and arrange to immediately withdraw money and wire it to contacts in Nigeria. According to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Alaska, Allen fraudulently obtained approximately $190,000 as a result of his actions. The Secret Service, the IRS and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service were all involved in the investigation.
FCACU OFFERS MEMBERS 2ND CHANCE
FORT WORTH, Texas-First Class American CU is offering a Fresh Start Checking account for members who would not normally qualify for regular checking accounts because of past account abuse, bad check writing or overdrawn accounts.
After 12 months the account will be reviewed. If the member has been responsible for the account and settled the ChexSystems claims, the account will be converted to the credit union's free checking account with overdraft protection.
CUS HONOR FOOD BANK FOUNDER
AUBURN, Maine-Maine's credit unions honored the memory of the Founder of the Good Shepherd Food-Bank, JoAnn Pike, by making a $10,500 donation to the Good Shepherd Food-Bank. Pike began the Good Shepherd nearly 28 years ago and served as its Executive Director until February of 2004. With this donation, Maine's credit unions have now contributed more than $50,000 in Pike's memory since she passed away on March 17, 2004.
NEFE UPDATES CURRICULUM
ENGLEWOOD, Colo.-The 2007 edition of the NEFE High School Financial Planning Program (HSFPP) has now been delivered to the national network of representatives involved in the program and who are responsible for educating America's youth on their finances. During a four-day meeting here, the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) convened more than 130 individuals from their two HSFPP partners, CUNA and the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service and Participating Land-Grant University Cooperative Extension Services.
Attendees at the High School Program kick-off event were introduced to all the components of the new HSFPP, shared strategies for launching the program in their states and received instruction on how to train high school teachers to deliver the program.
The new curriculum has been linked to education standards in 50 states, as well as to several national subject-area standards. In addition, the instructional design incorporates principles of multiple-intelligence and continuous learning. The High School Financial Planning Program has now reached more than five-million students in all 50 states since its inception in 1984.
