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Patricia Ann Yon, a former assistant branch manager for the $13.7 million Your Choice Federal Credit Union in Altoona, Pa., was sentenced last week to two days in a county jail for stealing more than $31,000 from member accounts over several years.
Blair County Common Pleas Judge Elizabeth Doyle also ordered Yon to pay restitution of $5,000, which represents the deductible of the credit union's CUMIS Insurance policy. During the court hearing, Doyle said the insurance company has the option to file a civil lawsuit to recover the money it paid the credit union because of Yon's theft.
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Judge Doyle also ordered the former credit union employee to five years of probation.
Yon, 49, of Tyrone, pleaded not guilty when she was initially charged in 2021. On Sept. 29, the day of her sentencing, she pleaded guilty to the charges of theft, receiving stolen property and unlawful use of a computer, according to court records.
"Ms. Yon expressed her remorse at the time of sentencing, and we submitted approximately a dozen letters of support from community members," Yon's attorney, Daniel Kiss of Altoona, said.
The theft was detected in January 2020 by Your Choice President/CEO Autumn M. Petta, who noticed discrepancies in a member's account from which Yon stole $3,500, according to a police investigation.
When Yon was placed on leave on Feb. 3, 2020, she also withdrew $900 from another member's account. Two days later, Yon submitted a resignation letter and offered to reimburse the $3,500.
In addition, Petta found that Yon used the credit union's computer system to make false entries to members' accounts from which Yon stole funds. Yon targeted members that she believed were not going to pay attention to their accounts.
The credit union hired a CPA firm to conduct a forensic audit, which concluded that Yon stole $31,266 from three member accounts over five years.
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Peter Strozniak
Credit Union Times reporter covering credit union operations, fraud, M&As, leagues, business continuity, and breaking news.
