Former CU Teller Charged With Embezzling From 92-Year-Old Member
Authorities allege $24,000 was stolen while an elderly member was hospitalized.
A former teller at the $995 million Michigan First Credit Union in Lathrup Village, Mich. allegedly stole $24,000 from a 92-year-old member while she was hospitalized, state regulators and law enforcement officials announced last week.
Stephanie Joyce-Bennett Beauford, 52, of Redford was arraigned in Wayne County 36th District Court last month following an investigation by the Department of Insurance and Financial Services and the Department of Attorney General’s Financial Crimes Division.
She has been charged with two counts of embezzlement from a financial institution.
Beauford had been a teller at Michigan First CU since 2005. She was fired following an interview in which she allegedly admitted to withdrawing the funds from the account of an elderly member who was hospitalized at the time.
The alleged embezzlement was referred to the Michigan Attorney General by the DIFS in early 2018.
The allegation came to DIFS’ attention following a complaint submitted by the victim’s family. The state regulator’s examination discovered irregularities and referred the case to the Attorney General for criminal prosecution.
“This year, the DIFS’ Fraud Investigation Unit was codified in law to investigate fraudulent and criminal activities in the financial and insurance markets,” DIFS Director Anita Fox said in a prepared statement. “Investigating consumer complaints and stopping fraud is a high priority for DIFS. This case is another example of the great partnership between DIFS and Attorney General Dana Nessel to protect Michigan consumers.”