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Press Release

Vancleave Woman Sentenced to Almost Three Years in Federal Prison for Credit Union Theft

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Mississippi

Gulfport, Miss. –  Merrideth Christina McMillian, 46, of Vancleave, Mississippi, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to 33 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for credit union theft, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and and Michelle A. Sutphin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.  Judge Ozerden further ordered that $376,152.60 in restitution be paid to the victims.

While employed as the vice president of Singing River Federal Credit Union’s Moss Point branch, McMillian stole more than $350,000 from the credit union. The fraud was discovered after an audit in August 2018 showed suspicious transactions.

McMillian carried out the fraudulent scheme by going into the bank’s computer system and releasing collateral that was used for other loans. Once the collateral was released, she used that collateral to borrow money. Agents also uncovered that in 2017, McMillian used a customer’s information, without her consent, to take out several unsecured loans. The loans ranged from $5,000.00 to $60,000.00. On another occasion, McMillian used a friend’s name and a customer’s money market account information to take out a fraudulent loan of $47,500. In total, McMillian stole more than $350,000.00.

The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathlyn R. Van Buskirk. 

 

Updated August 30, 2019