A former credit union manager pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Topeka, Kan., on June 17, admitting she embezzled $93,500 from the $1.5 million Jayhawk Federal Credit Union in Lawrence, Kan.
Karolyn J. Stattelman, 42, pleaded guilty to theft of credit union funds. She manipulated accounts at the now-merged $1.5 million Jayhawk FCU in Lawrence for money orders, share drafts, ATM and returned checks to conceal her theft, according to federal prosecutors at the U.S. Attorney's Office in Topeka.
Earlier this year, because of Jayhawk FCU's poor financial condition, the NCUA approved the cooperative's consolidation with the $226 million Mid American Credit Union in Wichita, Kan.
The 1,092-member credit union Jayhawk FCU reported a net loss of $260,047 last year. Though the credit union posted a net gain of $1,692 in 2012 and $1,684 in 2011, it reported net losses to the NCUA of $68,461 in 2010 and $42,409 in 2009.
Stattelman also admitted to allowing a teller to steal $81,000 from the credit union, federal prosecutors said.
The teller, Christi Marie Hout, 38, of Lawrence, also pleaded guilty in June to one count of theft of credit union funds.
In her plea, Hout admitted to writing checks on her personal account and her husband's business account, and then posting ATM debits when there were insufficient funds in the accounts to cover the transactions, according to federal prosecutors.
Sentencing hearings have yet to be scheduled for Stattelman and Hout, federal prosecutors said. Each face a maximum of 30 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $1 million.
© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
