Sedalia, Missouri woman pleads guilty in credit union embezzlement case

A Sedalia woman pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to stealing $35,000 from customers’ accounts at a credit union where she was employed. Sandra Ann Jeffers, 49, waived her right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty to a federal charge of embezzlement by a credit union employee, according to a news release from the Office of the United States Attorney, Western District of Missouri, in Kansas City.
During an annual audit of Pittsburgh Corning Glassworkers Credit Union in April of 2009, auditors discovered a discrepancy. Jeffers, who was the manager at the credit union, admitted that she had cut checks from various customers’ accounts. Jeffers used credit union checks made out to herself then endorsed and deposited or cashed the fraudulent checks on her account at another credit union, the release stated.
Jeffers admitted that between February 2008 and March 2009 she transferred money from the accounts of four customers on 23 separate occasions. The amounts ranged from $35 to $5,000 for a loss of approximately $35,000. The loss was reimbursed to the four customers’ accounts by the National Credit Union Administration.
Jeffers is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine of up to $1 million and an order of restitution.
A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a pre-sentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the Sedalia Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Lynn.