Embezzling from Arizona credit union nets 4-year term

The former manager of a Gila County credit
union has been sentenced to over four years
in federal prison for embezzling money that
led to the collapse of the institution.
Marlene Aguilera Pena, 46, also was ordered
by U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell in
Phoenix last week to pay restitution of nearly $
1.2 million and to serve five years of
supervised release after completing her
sentence.
She previously entered guilty pleas to three
counts of embezzlement.
Prosecutors said the Globe woman, as head
of the Marian Miami Federal Credit Union in
Miami, admitted taking more than $860,000
to benefit herself and family members by
creating roughly 141 fictitious loan
accounts.
Her actions caused the 2006 closing of the
institution by the National Credit Union
Administration. Depositor losses were
covered by an insurance fund run by the
NCUA.