ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The former head teller at defunct Obelisk FCU, who bankrupted the $50 million credit union by stealing $7 million to feed her gambling addiction, was banned from the credit union industry, NCUA said yesterday.
Earlier this year, Patricia Sherman was sentenced to eight years in prison and ordered to make restitution to the credit union, which was forced into a merger with Centra CU, in nearby Columbus, Ind., because of the theft.
Sherman stole the money by stuffing her pockets with wads of $100 bills over a four-year period when she left work. One year alone she lost more than $3.5 million on Mississippi River casino boats.
NCUA also banned another teller for embezzling from her credit union, Elizabeth Montedoro, who stole more than $180,000 from Patriot FCU, in Chambersburg, Penn.
Also banned by NCUA were: Aaron Bell, a former director for Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad CU, after he was convicted of criminal charges of laundering money through the credit union; Ann Bryson, a former employee for Good Samaritan Employees FCU; Betty Hargrave, former manager of Kellogg Memphis Employees FCU; Pranee Kolesar, former employee of Boeing Helicopters FCU; Linda Mattina, former employee of Long Island State Employees FCU; and, Josette Williamson, former employee of WIT FCU.
