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March 31, 2015

7 barred from future service in insured institutions

NCUA issued seven prohibition orders in March to bar individuals previously associated with credit unions from any future participation in the affairs of a federally insured financial institution.

Violation of a prohibition order is a felony offense punishable by imprisonment and a fine of up to $1 million. NCUA's prohibition orders are as follows:

  • Vytas Apanavicius, a former bookkeeper of Taupa Lithuanian Credit Union in Cleveland, Ohio, pleaded guilty of conspiracy to commit theft or embezzlement, was sentenced to 21 months in prison, three years supervised release and ordered to pay $962,689 in restitution.
  • John Richards, a former employee of Polk County Credit Union in Des Moines, Iowa, pleaded guilty of bank theft and received one year of probation and was ordered to pay $50,795 in restitution.
  • Michael Rusksenas, a former employee of Taupa Lithuanian Credit Union in Cleveland, Ohio, pleaded guilty of conspiracy to commit theft and embezzlement, was sentenced to 17 months in prison, three years supervised release and ordered to pay $481,502 in restitution.
  • Saundra Scales, a former employee of First Legacy Community Credit Union in Charlotte, N.C., consented to the issuance of an order of prohibition to avoid the time and expense of administrative litigation.
  • Alex Spirikaitis, former CEO of Taupa Lithuanian Credit Union in Cleveland, Ohio, pleaded guilty of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, was sentenced to 130 months in prison, five years supervised release and ordered to pay $15 million in restitution.
  • Wendy Wall, also known as Wendy Wright, a former employee of Pepsi Cola Federal Credit Union in Buena Park, Calif., pleaded guilty of bank fraud, was sentenced to 21 months in prison, four years supervised released and ordered to pay $480,273.77 in restitution.
  • Brandi Ward, a former employee of Dowell Federal Credit Union in Tulsa, Okla., pleaded guilty to embezzlement, was sentenced to five years supervised release and ordered to pay $105,839.04 in restitution.

A record of all of the agency's enforcement orders is available in a searchable database on the agency's website.

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