Former Credit Union Loan Supervisor Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud

Defrauded at Least Five Customers of More Than $171,000

January 28, 2010 - Felicia Douglas, age 42, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with a scheme to defraud customers at the credit union where she worked.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Richard A. McFeely of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

According to Douglas’ plea agreement, between about January 2001 and November 2005, she was employed as a loan supervisor at the Educational Systems Employees Federal Credit Union (“ESEFCU”), which maintained offices in Bladensburg and Greenbelt, Maryland. During her employment, Douglas created fraudulent checking and share accounts, loans, lines of credit (“LOC”), and credit card accounts in the names of at least five ESEFCU customers, without their knowledge or consent, and manipulated ESEFCU customers’ existing LOC and credit card accounts to increase credit limits, also without customers’ knowledge or consent. Douglas used these accounts to obtain at least $171,033.06, which she used to pay her credit card bills and otherwise for her personal benefit. Douglas concealed her conduct by using a portion of the funds she fraudulently obtained to repay some of the loans, LOC, and credit card accounts; by backdating transactions and changing terms, such as due dates; and by altering mailing instructions on the accounts to prevent statements and notifications from being sent to the victim ESEFCU customers.

Douglas faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison on bank fraud and two years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, for aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte has scheduled sentencing for April 19, 2010 at 9:30 a.m.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended Assistant United States Attorney Stacy Dawson Belf, who is prosecuting the case.