Rohnert Park credit union employee sentenced for $250,000 embezzlement

A 54-year-old Rohnert Park woman faces 33 months in prison for embezzling more than $250,000 by making unauthorized withdrawals from credit union customer accounts, federal officials said.

Allison Bushart was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Richard Seeborg following her guilty plea on Dec. 20, the officials said in a press release from U.S. Attorney Brian J. Stretch’s office.

Bushart, who worked at the Rohnert Park branch of Patelco Credit Union from 2003 to early 2015, admitted in her plea agreement that she began taking cash withdrawals from numerous customers’ accounts without their knowledge no later than 2010, the officials said.

Reached by phone Thursday afternoon, Bushart declined to comment. A Patelco Credit Union representative could not be immediately reached for comment.

Bushart admitted filling out withdrawal slips for specific amounts related to individual accounts and forging the customer’s signature on the slips, they said. Bushart took the cash home at the end of the day or deposited the money in her own account or a relative’s account.

Bushart acknowledged making unauthorized withdrawals from the accounts of at least 10 people, some of whom were legally vulnerable because of their age and mental condition, officials said.

In her plea, Bushart said she illegally withdrew more than $150,000 but Judge Seaborg concluded that the amount exceeded $250,000, the release said.

The defendant also admitted that she never declared any of the funds she embezzled as income on federal tax returns. Her failure to report income of $105,000 in 2014 resulted in a tax loss of $24,469 to the IRS, the release said.

Bushart pleaded guilty to one count each of misapplication and embezzlement of credit union funds and making and subscribing a false tax return.

In addition to her prison term, Bushart was ordered to serve three years of supervised release. A court hearing was set for May 2 to determine the amount of restitution Bushart will pay.

She was ordered to surrender by May 26 to begin serving her sentence.

The prosecution was the result of an investigation by the FBI and the IRS Criminal Investigation unit.

Staff Writer J.D. Morris contributed to this report. You can reach Staff Writer Guy Kovner at 707-521-5457 or guy.kovner@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @guykovner.