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Press Release

Former Town Manager Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Virginia
Loretta Mays Admits to Applying for Credit in Town of Coeburn’s Name

ABINGDON, VIRGINIA – The former town manager of the Town of Coeburn, who admitted to applying for and receiving credit in the town’s name, pled guilty earlier this week in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Abingdon, announced United States Attorney John P. Fishwick Jr.

Loretta Ilene Mullins Mays, 48, of Coeburn, Virginia, waived her right to indictment and pled guilty earlier this week to a one count Information charging her with bank fraud. In addition to restitution to be paid to the credit card companies, Mays agreed to pay $20,313 in restitution to the Town of Coeburn.

“This defendant was trusted by the Town of Coeburn to serve with integrity and instead used her position to enrich herself,” United States Attorney John P. Fishwick Jr. said today. “When public officials abuse the power placed in them the citizens it is imperative we hold them accountable.”

Mays was the Town Manager for the Town of Coeburn, Virginia from March 27, 2006 to February 14, 2013.  

On April 24, 2006, Mays fraudulently applied for a Bank of America Business Visa credit card in the name of the Town of Coeburn when, in fact, Mays had no intent to use the card for Town of Coeburn business. To keep her fraudulent activity hidden from town employees and Bank of America, Mays did not use the Town’s address on the application, but instead used her own address. After receiving the card, Mays used the card to obtain a $10,000 cash advance on the card and subsequently used the card for personal expenses resulting in a total of more than $30,000 in fraudulent cash advances and purchases.

Mays admitted earlier this week to obtaining two additional Bank of America credits cards in the name of the Town of Coeburn that she used for personal expenses, as well as a BB&T credit card in the name of the Town of Coeburn that was also used for personal expenses.  In total, Mays fraudulently received over $60,000 in cash advances and purchases.                                                                                                         

The investigation of the case was conducted by the Virginia State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance provided by the Dickenson County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ramseyer prosecuted the case for the United States.

Updated May 25, 2016

Topic
Public Corruption