Former Teller Files Suit, Alleges Retribution
BOSTON-The former head teller at Boston Globe Employees CU filed suit against the credit union and its board last week claiming she was fired for exposing wrongdoing by other employees, including the former manager who was convicted of fraud and embezzlement.
In her suit, Paula O'Donnell, who worked for the credit union for 29 years, claims she was harassed by the credit union's board and her superiors after she discovered fraud and embezzlement being committed by then credit union President Gene Farrell, Jr., who pleaded guilty to felony charges in 1999. The suit alleges that harassment grew worse under Farrell's successor, Marion Doucette, after Doucette hired her daughter, Linda Doucette, to work at the credit union and O'Donnell discovered that the daughter had allegedly bounced more than 100 checks on her credit union account, leading to the daughter's firing.
O'Donnell said she took a leave of absence in August 2003 because she couldn't stand the harassment and when she returned to work she was fired. Officials at the credit union did not return phone calls seeking comment.
Penn. Bill Requires ID Thieves To Make Good
HARRISBURG, Penn.-The Pennsylvania House has passed a bill that requires those convicted of identity theft to pay full restitution to victims. The bill requires that anyone convicted of identity theft would have to reimburse the victim for certain costs including: services by attorneys and accountants; credit bureau fees incurred by corrections to victim's credit record; and fees from contesting unwarranted debt collections, court costs, and filing fees. The bill has been sent to the Pennsylvania Senate.
Short-Order Cook, Long Term
SCITUATE, Mass.-A McDonald's cook who changed out of his work shirt and apron and crossed the parking lot to rob Dexter CU before returning to flip burgers the rest of the day was sentenced last week to 42 months in prison. Robert Salisbury, 22, was arrested April 15, the day after the robbery, when a police officer investigating the scene noticed him standing outside the McDonald's and thought he looked like the robber caught on the credit union's surveillance tape.
When police brought the fast-food cook in for questioning they found he had a credit union envelope tucked into his shoe with more than $3,400 of the $4,620 stolen from the credit union.
BofA Completes Acquisition
CHARLOTTE, N.C.-Bank of America announced last week it completed the acquisition of credit card giant MBNA Corp., in a $34 billion deal. The deal comes just after BofA announced it has agreed to issue American Express cards through its distribution network of more than 5,800 banking offices, posing new competition to card giants Visa and MasterCard.
BofA also said that MBNA, manager of more than 100 credit union portfolios will continue issuing AmEx cards as a new subsidiary of the banking giant. Last Janurary, MBNA became the first financial institution in the U.S. to sign a network partnership with AmEx.
