HONOLULU—On September 18, 2014, Dona Takushi, age 54, a former Oahu Transit Services Employees Federal Credit Union (OTSEFCU) employee and manager, was sentenced on one felony count of embezzlement and misapplication of funds and two felony counts of false entries into the books of the OTSEFCU in a proceeding before United States District Judge Helen Gillmor. Takushi was sentenced to fifteen (15) months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of over $78,000. OTSEFCU is the credit union for current and former employees and family members of the Oahu Transit Services, the entity that operates “TheBus.”

United States Attorney Florence T. Nakakuni said that, according to the charging documents, Takushi obtained online access to the VISA payment system for OTSEFCU and falsely inputted VISA payments for herself and a family member. From approximately 2010 to 2012, Takushi made entries crediting her own account and that of her family member with $40,000 in payments which were not actually made.

Additionally, from approximately 2007 to 2012, Takushi made one hundred and fifty-three (153) false entries into the books of the OTSEFCU so that she and an associate could obtain over $55,000 in loans that they could not qualify for under OTSEFCU policies. Lastly, in 2009, Takushi falsely recorded entries concerning a 2008 Subaru Forester that a customer relinquished to OTSEFCU because he could no longer afford the OTSEFCU loan payments on the car. Takushi falsely charged-off this over $18,000 car loan and intentionally did not log the car into the repossessed collateral inventory records of OTSEFCU so that she could execute a transfer of title placing herself and her daughter on the car title as owners, all without providing any payment to OTSEFCU.

Takushi was the third former OTSEFCU employee to be sentenced for embezzlement offenses. Jenny Nishida, age 41, was sentenced to thirteen (13) months’ imprisonment for one felony count of embezzlement and misapplication of funds. Nicole Cheung was also sentenced to 20 days imprisonment for one felony count of embezzlement and misapplication of funds. Information has not been presented to the court linking the three together in their criminal activity.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Cynthia Lie.