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Date: 03-22-2024
Case Style:
Case Number: 2:23-cr-00018
Judge: William K. Sessions III
Court: The United States District Court for the District of Vermont (Chittenden County)
Plaintiff's Attorney: The United States Attorney’s Office in Burlington
Defendant's Attorney: Chandler Matson - 802-253-6272
Description:
Tracy Thibodeau Sentenced for Credit Union Fraud.
Tracy Thibodeau, 47, of Windsor, Vermont was sentenced to time served following her guilty plea to a charge of credit union fraud. U.S. District Judge William K. Sessions III ordered that Thibodeau serve three years of supervised release and pay $136,936.57 in restitution. Thibodeau had not served any period of imprisonment prior to sentencing.
On February 22, 2023, a federal grand jury in Rutland returned a one-count indictment charging Thibodeau, who at the time was known as Tracy Hill, with defrauding her former employer, the Vermont VA Federal Credit Union. The VVAFCU is a small credit union that has one office in White River Junction. Thibodeau began working at the credit union in 2015 and was promoted to branch manager some time in 2016. The credit union offered VVAFCU VISA credit cards to members and employees.
In April 2019, Thibodeau misused her authority at the bank to open a personal VVVAFCU credit card account without proper authorization from her superiors. Later in 2019, Thibodeau again misused her access to the credit union’s credit card processing software to grant herself, without authorization, privileges on her card account. Those privileges eliminated maximum account limits; excused her from paying late fees and penalties on overdue balances; and eliminated monthly minimum payments. Between April 2019 and February 2021, Thibodeau used her credit card to make purchases in excess of $140,000. During that period, Thibodeau made only small monthly payments toward her large account balance. Thibodeau concealed her procurement and misuse of the credit card by manipulating internal credit card journal reports to hide from her superiors the existence of a large balance on her account. The credit union discovered the fraud in April 2022 and promptly fired Thibodeau. At that time, the outstanding balance on her account was about $137,000. That loss has been absorbed by the credit union and its insurer.
Thibodeau pleaded guilty to the indictment last fall.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the United States Secret Service and the Hartford Police Department.
Thibodeau is represented by The United States Attorney’s Office stated that Tracy Thibodeau, 47, of Windsor, Vermont was sentenced yesterday in United States District Court in Burlington to time served following her guilty plea to a charge of credit union fraud. U.S. District Judge William K. Sessions III ordered that Thibodeau serve three years of supervised release and pay $136,936.57 in restitution. Thibodeau had not served any period of imprisonment prior to yesterday’s sentence.
On February 22, 2023, a federal grand jury in Rutland returned a one-count indictment charging Thibodeau, who at the time was known as Tracy Hill, with defrauding her former employer, the Vermont VA Federal Credit Union. The VVAFCU is a small credit union that has one office in White River Junction. Thibodeau began working at the credit union in 2015 and was promoted to branch manager some time in 2016. The credit union offered VVAFCU VISA credit cards to members and employees.
According to the indictment, in April 2019, Thibodeau misused her authority at the bank to open a personal VVVAFCU credit card account without proper authorization from her superiors. Later in 2019, Thibodeau again misused her access to the credit union’s credit card processing software to grant herself, without authorization, privileges on her card account. Those privileges eliminated maximum account limits; excused her from paying late fees and penalties on overdue balances; and eliminated monthly minimum payments. Between April 2019 and February 2021, Thibodeau used her credit card to make purchases in excess of $140,000. During that period, Thibodeau made only small monthly payments toward her large account balance. Thibodeau concealed her procurement and misuse of the credit card by manipulating internal credit card journal reports to hide from her superiors the existence of a large balance on her account. The credit union discovered the fraud in April 2022 and promptly fired Thibodeau. At that time, the outstanding balance on her account was about $137,000. That loss has been absorbed by the credit union and its insurer.
Thibodeau pleaded guilty to the indictment last fall.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the United States Secret Service and the Hartford Police Department.
Thibodeau is represented by Chandler Matson, Esq. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.
Contact The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.
Outcome:
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