DANVILLE, Penn.–A mother and daughter have pleaded guilty to bank fraud charges related to their roles at a former credit union.
Mindy L. Plasters, 58, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, following her daughter, Brittany Aikey, 35, who pled guilty to the same charge last month. Both remain free on personal recognizance pending sentencing, according to PennLive and court documents.
According to PennLive, the loss attributed to Plasters, who was the loan officer, is in the $250,000 to $550,000 range, and for her daughter, it is between $150,000 and $250,000.
The two admitted obtaining unauthorized loans and cash advances at what was then Nu Community Credit Union in Milton, Pa., between 2009 and Feb. 23, 2017. According to prosecutors, the scheme involved:
- Applying for loans using the names of approximately 20 members of the credit union without their knowledge.
- Applying for loans using the identities of credit union members with their knowledge but giving them false information about the purpose and terms of the loans.
- Falsifying financial information on member applications to qualify for loans that otherwise would not have been approved.
- Obtaining the proceeds of loans for their own use not for the members whose names they used.
- Obtaining cash advances for personal use utilizing members’ Mastercard accounts serviced by the credit union without their knowledge.
Letters prepared to advise borrowers loans were in default were not mailed and Aikey forged signatures on receipt cards, according to officials, Penn Live added.
“It is believed that some of the money was used to cover gambling losses,” the report added.
NU Community Credit Union was merged into Service 1st FCU in mid-2018.
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