Two weeks after he pleaded guilty to bank fraud and attemptedbank fraud, Sean Jelen filed a civil lawsuit claiming anothercredit union allegedly offered him a CEO job and then rescinded theoffer after learning he had Crohn’s disease.

On July 15, the former president/CEO of the $231 million ValorFederal Credit Union admitted to committing a series of fraudulent schemes, includingembezzling more than $700,000 from the Scranton, Pa.-basedcooperative.

On July 29, Jelen’s lawyer filed a disability discriminationlawsuit against the $410 million Nassau Financial Federal CreditUnion in Westbury, N.Y.

Jelen’s lawyer, Bradford D. Conover in New York City, said hewasn’t aware of Jelen’s guilty plea until after the lawsuit wasfiled, when he received a letter from Nassau Financial.

“I would think changes will be made,” Conover said. “As anattorney, I have an ethical obligation to represent a client. I also have an ethical obligation to do what’s right. I can’tsimply withdraw a complaint without a client’s permission. I canwithdraw as an attorney. So all of those ethical options are on thetable and my client needs to let me know how he wants toproceed.”

Conover declined to make further comments.

In June 2015, Jelen applied for the president/CEO position atNassau Financial.

On Aug. 19, 2015, the day he was fired from Valor, he learnedthe Nassau Financial board wanted to interview him on Sept. 18,2015, according to the civil lawsuit.

Two days later, on Sept. 21, the credit union’s executiverecruiter called Jelen and told him the interview went “exceedinglywell” and that Jelen would receive an unconditional offer from theboard of directors.

Later that day, however, the executive recruiter called Jelenback and questioned him about his employment with Valor.

Jelen told the recruiter that he had been out on disabilityleave since Aug. 19 for Crohn’s disease and was scheduled toundergo surgery by Oct. 1. Jelen was to start his new job inNovember.

The recruiter told Jelen to send an email to the board detailinghis disability and medical leave from Valor, which he promptlysupplied, according to the lawsuit.

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On Sept. 23, 2015, Jensen received an email from the recruiterinforming him that the Nassau Financial board decided to go withother candidates.

“They have some concerns after reviewing the latest financialinformation from Valor,” the recruiter wrote in an email toJelen.

Valor posted a net loss of $286,983 at the end of the secondquarter of 2015 and a net loss of $73,696 at the end of the firstquarter in March 2015, according to NCUA financial performancereports. And by the third quarter, in September 2015, the creditunion recorded a net loss of $1.5 million. The credit union’s ROAAwas -0.26% and -0.94% at the end of the second and third quartersof last year, respectively.

Jelen’s civil lawsuit claimed Nassau Financial’s purportedconcern about Valor’s financials was a “pretext for disabilitydiscrimination” and that the credit union violated the Americanswith Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 and the Executive Lawof the State of New York.

Jelen’s lawsuit also alleged the Nassau Financial board violatedstate and federal laws when it declined to hire Jelen because ofhis disability without having first engaged in an interactiveprocess. He is seeking monetary redress, compensation for loss ofincome, damages for mental and psychological pain and suffering,punitive damages, attorneys’ fees and costs, and permanentinjunctive relief.

John T. DeCelle, president/CEO of Nassau Financial, did notreturn a call from CU Times seeking comment Thursday.

From July 2014 to August 2015, the 33-year-old Jelen embezzled$718,000 to pay for credit card bills, college tuition, hisspouse’s birthday party and a golf tournament sponsorship. He alsotried to steal $1.1 million by creating a forged severance contractbefore he was fired by the board.

About five months prior to his termination, Jelen rigged Valor’s board of directors’ election by electingan individual only identified in court documents as R.T. But Jelendid this without R.T.’s knowledge.

He also elected Suzanne Forrest to the board’s supervisorycommittee. However, Forrest did not exist. Jelen allegedlyimpersonated both Forrest and R.T. so that he could continue hisfraud, according to court documents.

According to court documents, Jelen also agreed to forfeit ahome at Breezy Point, a New York City borough of Queens at thewestern end of the Rockaway peninsula. New York’s Multiple ListingsService estimated that Jelen’s house at 37 Jamaica Walk is valuedat $613,000.

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