Allison Bushart, Embezzlement Scheme, California 2016

SAN FRANCISCO – A former North Bay Area credit union employee has been sentenced to 33 months in prison for her role in a brazen embezzlement scheme that left numerous victims in her wake. Allison Bushart, 54, of Rohnert Park, Calif., was handed down the sentence by the Honorable Richard Seeborg, U.S. District Judge, following her guilty plea in December 2016.

According to her plea agreement, Bushart was employed at the Rohnert Park branch of Patelco Credit Union from approximately May 2003 to early 2015. During that time, she began taking cash withdrawals from numerous account holders’ accounts without their knowledge, using methods such as filling out withdrawal slips for specific amounts and forging the account holders’ signatures. The unauthorized withdrawals exceeded $250,000, with Bushart admitting to making withdrawals from at least ten different individuals, some of whom were legally vulnerable due to their age and mental condition.

In addition to the prison sentence, Bushart was also ordered to pay restitution, with a hearing scheduled for May 2, 2017, to determine the amount. She was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. Bushart was ordered to surrender to begin serving her sentence on May 26, 2017.

The investigation into Bushart’s embezzlement scheme was conducted by the FBI and IRS, Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Waldinger is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Patricia Mahoney.

Bushart’s sentence is a stark reminder of the devastating impact of embezzlement on innocent victims. Her actions were a blatant disregard for the trust placed in her as a credit union employee, and she will now face the consequences of her actions.

The case is a testament to the dedication and hard work of law enforcement agencies in rooting out financial crimes and bringing perpetrators to justice.

Bushart’s guilty plea and subsequent sentence serve as a warning to others who would seek to engage in similar schemes, highlighting the importance of accountability and transparency in financial institutions.

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