Shanice M. Mano, a former teller of the $969 million Credit Union 1, pleaded not guilty to a felony theft charge last week in U.S. District Court in Anchorage, Alaska.
Federal prosecutors said, in court documents, that Mano allegedly embezzled more than $111,000 from the in Anchorage-based cooperative.
The FBI launched an investigation on July 14 after receiving a call from Lorrain Bennett, SVP of risk management at Credit Union 1. She reported that Mano allegedly embezzled funds via two bank transfers in July.
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Bennett informed federal investigators that Mano allegedly created online access to an account belonging to two credit union members without their authorization or consent and transferred $10,000 on July 9 to another member, with whom Mano shared the same residential address.
Shortly after that transfer, bank security footage of Mano's teller station showed that she made two withdrawals from the bulk cash machine and placed the money in her purse, according to federal investigators.
On July 10, Mano later transferred $102,000 from the same account. She then had a cashier's check drafted from the funds in her account for about $101,000. The check was made payable to Mano's maiden name.
On July 11, Mano went to another Credit Union 1 branch in Anchorage. Security video footage showed Mano interacting with other tellers. During this interaction, Mano allegedly cashed the cashier's check and walked into the vault area to count and collect the cash, according to court documents.
On the same day, Mano called in sick and never returned to work.
However, on July 21, Mano's husband went to a Credit Union 1 branch to pay off his $10,000 car loan and made $8,900 in cash deposits at the credit union after his wife allegedly embezzled the funds, prosecutors said in court documents. Her husband was not charged.
Her trial by jury is set for Oct. 31.
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Peter Strozniak
Credit Union Times reporter covering credit union operations, fraud, M&As, leagues, business continuity, and breaking news.
