Idaho woman sentenced, credit union embezzlement

A former teller at an Idaho Falls credit union has been sentenced to two months in prison, followed by two months of home detention for embezzlement.

The U.S. Attorney's Office says 40-year-old Virginia Mecham of Ammon was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill. Mecham also was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $23,625 in restitution.

Mecham pleaded guilty in February to embezzlement by a credit union employee.

The case came to light after customers of Westmark Credit Union contacted the credit union to ask about unauthorized withdrawals from their accounts. An investigation found Mecham handled all of the questionable transactions.

Former bank vice president sentenced for embezzlement in Idaho.

A former bank vice president will serve 15 months in prison for embezzling more than $142,000.
Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill sentenced Deanne Marie Cottle, 63, to serve 15 months in prison for the crime, as well as two years of supervised release in the future, according to a news release. She will also have to pay a $2,000 fine.
As part of a plea agreement, the Swan Valley resident admitted that she embezzled funds from the Bank of Commerce of Idaho Falls, where she formerly worked as the vice president of security and the director of human resources. She converted 31 checks from health insurance carriers to the bank, and then used cashier’s checks to deposit the money in a personal credit union account, according to the news release, which adds that she has made full restitution to the bank.
“The detection and prosecution of the crime in this case exemplifies efforts underway by President Obama's Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force (FFETF),” U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson said in the news release. “Thanks to the dedicated work of the FBI in this case, and the ongoing work of the FBI and other partners, the District of Idaho is proud to be a successful part of this important program. We will continue to work with our partners in the law enforcement community – federal, state and local – to identify and prosecute those who commit fraud.”

Former credit union teller admits embezzling from customer accoun

An Idaho Falls woman pleaded guilty Friday to one count of embezzlement by a credit union employee after she admitted to taking about $23,000 from customers’ accounts at an Idaho Falls Westmark Credit Union branch.

      The charge Virginia Mecham, 40, faces is punishable by up to 30 years in prison, a maximum fine of $1 million and up to three years of supervised release. According to U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson, the suit was filed in United States District Court in Pocatello on January 31, 2013 after several customers contacted the credit union to inquire about unauthorized withdrawals from their accounts. After examining credit union records, it was determined that all of the customers’ accounts were handled by Mecham, a credit union teller.

     Mecham admitted she embezzled the money and that she spent it on various personal expenses, according to the plea agreement. She has agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $23,625.

     The sentencing date is set for April 30 before Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill at the federal courthouse in Pocatello.

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

     This announcement is part of efforts underway by President Obama's Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force, which was created in November 2009 to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices and state and local partners, it’s described as the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. 

    Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes, enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities and addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. 

    Over the past three fiscal years, justice department officials have filed more than 10,000 financial fraud cases against nearly 15,000 defendants,  including more than 2,700 mortgage fraud defendants. 

Former bank teller embezzled in Idaho

A former teller at Wells Fargo Bank in Hailey has been charged with a felony for allegedly stealing from the bank.



An initial court appearance on a charge of grand theft by embezzlement is scheduled for Monday in Blaine County Magistrate Court for Erika M. Ruiz, a 21-year-old Hailey woman. Ruiz is also charged in a separate case with another felony for allegedly illegally using a co-worker's debit-card number.



Ruiz is represented by Ketchum attorney Andrew Parnes in both cases.



She was also the alleged victim in a Hailey stabbing case dismissed earlier this month in Blaine County 5th District Court.



In the embezzlement case, an arrest warrant was issued for Ruiz on Aug. 31 based upon a probable-cause affidavit filed by Hailey police Lt. Steve England. According to court records, Ruiz voluntarily surrendered to police on Aug. 31 after learning of the arrest warrant. She was released from custody that same day after posting $10,000 bond.



England wrote in his report that Ruiz became employed as a teller at Wells Fargo on March 30. Her employment was terminated on June 15 following a bank investigation. The case was turned over to the Hailey Police Department in July.

Boise, Idaho woman admits embezzling $25K from Wells Fargo customers

A former Wells Fargo branch manager has admitted to embezzling more than $25,000 from the accounts of three bank customers.Julie Dempsey, 41, of Boise, pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court to embezzlement of bank funds, according to the U. S. Attorney’s Office.Dempsey worked at the Mountain Home branch of Wells Fargo Bank.Prosecutors say from Sept. 2009 to April 2010, Dempsey withdrew funds from the three accounts and deposited the money into accounts she had created. She then withdrew the funds from those accounts.Sentencing is set for Sept. 30. Dempsey faces up to 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and five years of probation.The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service.

Former Idaho bank worker sentenced for embezzlement

A Hazelton woman was sentenced to a prison term and ordered to pay $23,000 in restitution after embezzling money from a Burley credit union. Lisa Segura Trevino, 35, was charged with two counts of grand theft, two counts of petit theft, fraud while serving as an employee of a financial institution and forgery after she allegedly transferred money from other people’s accounts at MAP Credit Union, 2307 West Main St., into accounts belonging to herself and other family members, court records state.
Trevino pleaded guilty to single counts of grand theft, fraud while serving as an employee of a financial institution and forgery. According to court records, the prosecutor dismissed the remaining charges.
Trevino was sentenced by Cassia County 5th District Judge Michael Crabtree on May 4 to three to 10 years in prison on the charge of grand theft, three to five years on the fraud charge and three to 10 years on the forgery charge. She was given credit for 57 days served in jail for each count.
According to the criminal complaint, Trevino worked at the credit union for more than three years and quit suddenly after the thefts occurred.
After she quit, records state, the credit union’s manager reviewed her bank account and noticed a string of suspicious deposits.
Trevino allegedly took $16,310 last year from one victim’s account through a series of transactions from July 2 to Aug. 14. Trevino allegedly moved the money from the victim’s account into her own orthose of her children. Court records state she chose the victim because of the account’s high balance.
Trevino allegedly also took $1,000 from the credit union’s cash drawer, along with $200 and $400 from two other account holders.
Crabtree ordered Trevino’s sentences on the three charges to run concurrently.