The former manager of small credit union in Oahu, Hawaii, was sentenced Sept. 18 to 15 months in prison, according to court documents.

Dona Takushi, 54, former manager of the $12.5 million Oahu Transit Services Employee Federal Credit Union, was charged with making more than 150 false entries into the cooperative's books and stealing $120,000, including $55,000 in loans she obtained for herself and an associate, the documents said.

She was among three employees convicted of stealing a total of $500,000 in separate incidents at the credit union.

Takushi was ordered to repay $78,000 in restitution, the documents said.

She previously repaid about $42,000 to the credit union, according to FBI Special Agent Tom Simon, who oversaw a 7-month investigation at OTS Employee FCU and previously said the institution was a proverbial den of thieves.

During her sentencing, Takushi told the judge in Honolulu's U.S. District Court that she was living above her means during the five years she stole from the credit union.

Following her appearance in court, Takushi's attorney told a local television crew that the embezzlement was outside of his client's character.

“All her supporters, who are here today, are very perplexed because what happened in this case is completely inconsistent with the individual, whom they know, but this was a period of time where she kind of went off the tracks,” Attorney Howard Luke told Honolulu station KHON2.

Takushi and two other former employees pleaded guilty this summer to manipulating the credit union's VISA payment system to pay off debt for themselves and relatives, according to court documents.

Although the schemes were similar, the crimes were not connected and the co-workers were not aware that the others were also stealing, the FBI said.

Jenny Nishida, 41, a former teller, was sentenced Sept. 8 to 13 months in prison for making more than 120 false payments, totaling almost $360,000, according to court records.

Nicole Cheung, 35, a former loan officer, was sentenced Aug. 25 to 20 days in prison, for embezzling nearly $17,000 and making 54 false entries from 2007 to 2012, the documents said.

CUMIS Insurance Society, which covered the $993,125 loss caused by the thefts, has filed a civil lawsuit against the three former employees and the credit union's auditor, CU Pacific Audit Solutions, according to court documents.

Instant Insights /

Third 'Den of Thieves' Embezzler Sentenced

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