Teresa Paulo, the former controller of Southern Pine Credit Union in Valdosta, Georgia, was sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to pay over $1.2 million in restitution for orchestrating a fraudulent loan scheme. U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands handed down the sentence in Georgia federal court on Wednesday, following Paulo’s guilty plea to charges of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Credit Union Controller $1.2M Scam : Long-Running Loan Fraud Scheme
Paulo’s scheme, which spanned from July 2014 to June 2020, involved taking out fraudulent loans using the names of relatives and diverting the proceeds to her own accounts. According to court filings, Paulo used her position at the credit union to authorize more than 200 payments to herself and her family, amassing over $1.2 million in illicit gains.
Prosecutors alleged that Paulo moved funds between accounts, often forging signatures and using her coworkers’ usernames and passwords to conceal her actions. She also falsified credit transactions to make it appear as if the loans were being paid off, advancing their due dates to avoid detection. As of May 2020, the total draft needed to cover the fraudulent loan balances had reached $1,233,201.77, with Paulo having made just $7,736.16 in legitimate payments.
Credit Union Controller $1.2M Scam : Sentencing and Restitution
In addition to her 60-month prison term, Paulo was ordered to pay $1,238,638.29 in restitution to Southern Pine Credit Union. The case highlights the severe consequences of financial fraud, as U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary emphasized the broader impact of such crimes on individuals, businesses, and communities.
Related Case Involving Credit Union President
Paulo’s sentencing follows a similar case involving Leah Lehman, the former president of Southern Pine Credit Union. Lehman was sentenced in May to six years in prison for her role in a parallel loan fraud scheme that spanned from 2003 to 2020, resulting in over $4.4 million in losses. Lehman used her position to create fraudulent loans and funnel the money into personal accounts, using the proceeds for personal expenses, including a boat and a hunting club share. Like Paulo, Lehman concealed her actions by manipulating credit union records and using employees’ credentials.
FBI and FDIC Investigation
The fraudulent schemes were uncovered following an investigation led by the FBI and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Rich Bilson, senior supervisory resident agent of the FBI’s Atlanta office, commented that the women’s actions had severely damaged the financial security of innocent victims. The investigation’s findings underscore the significant abuse of power by those entrusted with safeguarding the credit union’s financial assets.
