Orange, California woman could face 400 years in prison on embezzlement charges

The president of an Orange County credit union has been indicted on embezzlement and money laundering charges.

Sandra H. Cooper, 56, of Orange, was indicted Wednesday. She is accused of embezzling $1,164,360 in four and a half years. If convicted, she faces up to 30 years in prison for each of the 14 embezzlement charges and up to 10 years in federal prison for the money laundering charges.
According to the indictment passed down by U.S. Attorney John M. Bales, Cooper, the president and treasurer of the two-employee Orange County Employees Federal Credit Union, is charged with writing checks from the credit union's checking account to herself and signing them. The checks ranged from $5,000 to $9,500.
Cooper is also accused of writing checks from the credit union's account for more than $10,000 to herself and cashing them, the indictment reads.
In June 2010, the National Credit Union Administration Board found the credit union insolvent and transferred all customer accounts to the Sabine Federal Credit Union.
Cooper's trial is set for Jan. 24.