Bernie Metz, 57, former CEO of the Center Valley Federal CreditUnion, will have to repay the NCUA more than $4.65 million dollarsand pay $200,000 to a local organization in Ohio as part of hersentence for embezzlement.

U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced that Metz received 108months imprisonment in addition to the financial parts of thesentence. She also had to surrender properties she purchased duringher decade-long embezzlement, along with several vehicles and over$14,000.

As a result of the embezzlement, the NCUA closed and liquidatedthe credit union in 2009.

“The prison sentence imposed today upon Bernie Metz brings anend to her sophisticated scheme to defraud the Center ValleyFederal Credit Union and its members,” said Ihlenfeld. “Sheembezzled millions of dollars over the past ten years and used thecredit union as her own personal piggy bank. Due to the convictionsobtained in this matter, her opulent lifestyle has ended. Thingswill be much different for Bernie Metz behind bars, and she will nolonger enjoy the life of luxury to which she had becomeaccustomed.”

Affidavits filed in the case showed that Metz used embezzledfunds to start a business that included both a restaurant and amotel run by her and her husband.

Ihnlenfeld also indicated that the crime has continued toreverberate in the lives of the former CU's members.

“While a number of former credit union members chose to meetwith me and my staff in person to discuss their issues, I know thatthere are many more similarly situated people who still are havingproblems with their credit union accounts, whether they areupside-down on their automobile loans or they feel they are beingunfairly harassed by collection calls,” said Ihlenfeld. “My messageto those people is to make sure that they fully explore all oftheir rights under state and federal law.”