Former credit union CEO and 2 employees charged in $500K embezzlement case

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Three out of the four people who worked at the credit union that serves city bus employees were charged by the federal government Wednesday in a nearly $500,000 embezzlement case.

The FBI said it conducted a seven-month investigation after a routine audit by federal regulators discovered irregularities at the OTS Employees Federal Credit Union in December 2012.

Dona Takushi, 54, of Honolulu, the former manager and CEO of the credit union, is charged with stealing $114,410 through fraud.

All three defendants are accused of doctoring credit union records to pay down their personal VISA card balances when they had not paid off their accounts.

Takushi is also charged with stealing a Subaru Forester from the repossessed inventory of the credit union and giving it to her daughter as well as falsifying credit union records to hide loans to herself and a family member that were not paid back.

"We believe the evidence will suggest that all three acted independently, stealing from the same credit union, while working together, side-by-side, shoulder-to-shoulder for all that time," said FBI Special Agent Tom Simon, who said they women did not cooperate with each other in the crimes that happened over a five-year period from 2007 to 2012.

Jenny Nishida, 41, of Pearl City, a former teller, is charged with stealing $358,685 from the credit union in the credit card scam.

Nicole Cheung, 34, of Honolulu, a former loan officer, is accused of stealing $16,732 from her former employer.

Gloria Omandam, the OTS Employees FCU new CEO and manager, said, "The credit union has conducted an extensive independent audit to assure its safety and soundness. No member suffered a loss, and any loss suffered by the credit union has been recouped."

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