Oshkosh Woman Accused of $1.6M Credit Union Heist

A 37-year-old Oshkosh woman is accused of looting more than $1.6 million from her employer over a seven-year span. Melisa A. Beyer, once trusted with the books at the Oshkosh Central Credit Union (OCCU), now stands charged with two federal counts after a grand jury indictment unmasked what prosecutors call a brazen financial betrayal.

The indictment, returned February 14, 2017, alleges Beyer systematically embezzled funds from OCCU between January 2007 and May 2014. The first count, under Title 18, United States Code, Section 657, accuses her of siphoning money from the federally insured credit union. The second count hits harder: Beyer allegedly falsified records in March 2014, claiming the vault held over $2,000,000—knowing full well that the actual amount was nearly $1.6 million short.

That false report wasn’t just paperwork—it was a lie meant to deceive regulators and conceal the theft. The charge under Title 18, Section 1006, carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. The embezzlement count also carries up to 30 years behind bars, along with a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release if convicted.

Beyer appeared before Magistrate Judge James Sickel on February 15 and was released pending trial. Her final pre-trial hearing is set for April 12 at 1:30 p.m. before Chief U.S. District Judge William C. Griesbach. A jury trial is scheduled to begin April 24, where federal prosecutors will attempt to prove the full weight of the allegations.

The FBI led the investigation into the multi-year scheme, unraveling financial records and tracking the missing funds. Assistant United States Attorney William Roach is handling the prosecution, building a case that hinges on bank logs, vault reports, and internal audits showing the growing discrepancy under Beyer’s watch.

An indictment is not a conviction. Melisa A. Beyer is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The case, filed in the Eastern District of Wisconsin, highlights how trusted insiders can exploit their positions—turning routine bookkeeping into a weapon of theft and deception.