Federal prosecutors indicted a former employee of the $1.7 billion Fairwinds Credit Union Jan. 30 for allegedly embezzling $258,000 from the Orlando, Fla.-based cooperative.
Male Yahaira Rivera, 35, of Orlando, used some of those stolen funds to make a partial payment on a Porsche, federal prosecutors said.
She is scheduled to be arraigned on 16 counts of embezzlement and one count of money laundering in U.S. District Court in Orlando Feb. 10, according to court documents.
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From October 2010 through August 2011, Rivera allegedly took money on 16 separate occasions in amounts ranging from $2,000 to $40,000. She also used $44,000 as a partial payment for a Porsche, federal prosecutors alleged in the indictment.
Court documents, however, did not state Rivera's position with Fairwinds.
Rivera's lawyer, Mark Horwitz of Orlando, declined comment.
Dianne Owen, EVP of marketing at Fairwinds, who spoke on behalf of President/CEO Larry Tobin, would not say what Rivera's job title was at the credit union.
"We obviously, upon discovery, [of the embezzlement] terminated her immediately and contacted the authorities," Owen said. "Fortunately, no member accounts were affected whatsoever."
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Peter Strozniak
Credit Union Times reporter covering credit union operations, fraud, M&As, leagues, business continuity, and breaking news.
