LindaReynolds-Sienkiewicz, the former president/CEO of the $102 millionPinellas Federal Credit Union in Largo, Fla., agreed to pleadguilty to taking a $21,000 bribe.

On Dec. 3, she was charged by federal prosecutors in U.S.District Court in Tampa, Fla., with one felony count of receipt ofcommission for procuring loans

During a meeting in February 2010, Reynolds-Sienkiewicz admittedthat she solicited “payment of money” from a company onlyidentified by its initials, M.S., according to court documents.

The former credit union CEO met with M.S. to discuss renewingits $66,938 contract to provide identity theft protection servicesto PFCU members and employees.

“Ultimately, the defendant (Reynolds-Sienkiewicz) and M.S.agreed that the defendant would renew the contract with M.S.'sbusiness, and M.S. would make a payment totaling $21,000 to thedefendant's spouse,” according to the plea agreement.

The $21,000 check was made payable to CU Solutions Inc., aFlorida corporation for which Reynolds-Sienkiewicz and her spouseserve as COO and CEO, respectively.

Reynolds-Sienkiewicz and her husband endorsed the check anddeposited it into her personal PFCU account, according to courtrecords.

Reynolds-Sienkiewicz's attorney, M.D. Purcell Jr. in Tampa,declined to comment on behalf of his client.

The guilty plea comes after PFCU filed acivil lawsuit in January 2012 in federal court that accusedReynolds-Sienkiewicz of misappropriating credit union funds byhiring family members and friends as contractors and paying farhigher than market rates.

The lawsuit also accused her of fraud, constructive fraud,breach of fiduciary duty and unjust enrichment. The credit unionasked the court to permit it to freeze the accounts ofReynolds-Sienkiewicz and relatives at the credit union.

In her formal reply, Reynolds-Sienkiewicz denied the charges andcounter-sued credit union board members charging that the failureto release the funds was civil theft. She also claimed in herdenial that PFCU leadership knew and approved of her choices forcontractors.

“Plaintiff, acting through its operations director and/or ITtechnician, hired Defendant's son to perform cabling work for it,knowing he was Defendant's son and after approving a proposal hesubmitted to do the work at below market rates,”Reynolds-Sienkiewicz's wrote in the reply. “In addition, theChairman of Plaintiff's Board of Directors, Jack Bowman, was awareof and never objected to the arrangement,” she added in thefiling.

The credit union and Reynolds-Sienkiewicz agreed to dismiss thecase on Nov. 1, 2012. Both parties also agreed to pay their ownattorney fees, costs and other expenses.