TALLAHASSEE, Fla.–The former director of lending with FSU Credit Union here has pleaded guilty to nearly two-dozen federal charges, including fraud and filing false tax returns, in relation to the embezzlement of more than $806,000.
Kevin R. Lee, 35, entered guilty pleas in U.S. District Court here to 20 counts of bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, theft from a lending institution and three counts of filing false tax returns. Lee is now looking at as much as 30 years in prison on the bank fraud and theft charges, a two-year minimum mandatory sentence for ID theft and, another three years for filing of false tax returns. He is to be sentenced Aug. 22.
As CUToday.info reported earlier, in 2014 Lee used the name, birthday and Social Security number of the president of the Tallahassee Chapter of Credit Unions of the League of Southeastern Credit Unions to open a second account for the chapter. The first account was used for fraudulent activity, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, while the second account was maintained for legitimate business.
Other Accounts Opened
He also opened two additional accounts using the personal information of his college roommates where funds stolen from FSUCU members were deposited. The credit union serves Florida State University.
In a statement, U.S. District Court Spokeswoman Amy Alexander said, “Lee also transferred funds from inactive customer accounts either to pay down the lines of credit he created, to the intermediary accounts he created, or into the original TCCU account.”
Prosecutors said the stolen funds were also used to pay off personal credit cards, to make mortgage and car payments and pay his children’s tuition.