Former Credit Union Supervisor Arrested for Alleged Embezzlement
Leilana Bearce is accused of stealing more than $47,000 from member accounts.
A former department supervisor was arrested last week for allegedly embezzling more than $47,000 from the $50.5 million Collegedale Credit Union.
Joy Traxler, president/CEO of the Collegedale, Tenn.-based financial cooperative, said she confronted five-year employee Leilana Bearce about the alleged theft and fired her on Nov. 1, after a member reported suspicious account transactions.
Traxler said the credit union is conducting an audit and an investigation is ongoing.
According to Collegedale police, Bearce allegedly began her theft on Aug. 29, and it continued until Oct. 31 when a member noticed a problem with an account.
“A member who had seen transfers in and out of their account called us to say they didn’t recognize these transfers, so we immediately started an investigation,” Traxler said.
Bearce allegedly stole money from various credit union member accounts and transferred the money to her family members’ accounts. She then moved the funds to her own account, according to police.
The credit union is refunding affected member accounts.
Bearce’s job duties included supervising the tellers and anything that involved member services.
She was arrested on Nov. 9.
Bearce is free on bond and is scheduled to appear in Collegedale Municipal Court in March.