HONOLULU — Three staff members of OTS Employees FCU, including the former manager, were charged Wednesday with embezzling nearly $490,000 from the credit union.
Court documents allege that Jenny Nishida, 41, a former teller, falsely processed 122 Visa payments credited to her Visa card account and a family member.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation said the payments were not made and the funds, totaling $358,685, were allegedly embezzled by Nishida between May 2009 and Aug. 2011.
Former manager Dona Takushi, 54, is accused of falsely processing $40,970.63 in Visa charges to herself and a family member between Dec. 2010 and Sept. 2012. The FBI said she also made 153 false entries into the books reports and statements of the credit union to hide delinquent car and other loans for herself and family members between 2007 and 2012.
The loans had an outstanding balance of $55,188 when the false entries were discovered. Takushi is also charged with making false entries in the credit union's books.
Nicole Cheung, 34, is accused of falsely processing 54 Visa payments to herself and family members totaling $16,732 between Sept. 2007 and Sept. 2012.
The defendants were charged Wednesday following a seven-month FBI investigation, according to published reports. Investigators do not believe the women were working together and stated that the Visa charges were used for general household items and nothing extravagant.
Gloria Omandam, OTS' current CEO, stated that the $13 million CU has conducted an "extensive independent audit to assure its safety and soundness. No member suffered a loss, and any loss suffered by the Credit Union has been recouped (other than investigative costs)," Khon2.com reported.
The defendants are being allowed to remain free until their initial court appearances in the next two weeks, the FBI said. They will turn themselves in before the appearance, as negotiated with their attorneys.
The $12.3 million-asset OTS serves a little over 2,000 members and was chartered in 1937 to serve city bus employees.
