Jackson Jambalaya

Yet another front opened in the fight between former Jackson Area Federal Credit Union President Leigh Bridges and the National Credit Union Administration Board.  The focus of this fight? Gift cards.  Yup.  You read that correctly.  Gift cards.  

The NCUAB has reason to believe that frozen funds are being utilized to fund the Bridges’ living expenses as well. Chad Bridges’ rent and utilities is $2,900 per month, and his only income from unemployment is $235 per week. He must therefore be paying most of his living expenses with funds from some other source. Because all of Chad Bridges’ accounts are frozen, the NCUAB must presume that he is using some unknown amount of frozen funds to live, which is concerning to the NCUAB.

Also concerning to the NCUAB is Chad Bridges’ attempt to cashout his accrued leave from his former employer, the Mississippi Department of Insurance. A representative of that state agency sent an email to NCUAB counsel on September 2, stating that “Mr. Bridges has requested a cash payout of a portion of his accrued retirement/leave balance (240 hours)” The monetary value of the benefit is $14,865.60. That email was the first time NCUAB received notice of Chad Bridges’ cashout request; he did not notify the NCUAB.

NCUAB next aimed its fire at Leigh as it wondered in print how she was paying her living expenses. 

Leigh Bridges was served with the TRO on May 29, 2026. Between June 1 and June 18, 2026, Ms. Bridges attempted to redeem a portion of her points for these cash-equivalent gift cards in an amount up to $200,000.00. 

That effort was frustrated by a fraud alert on her account. Eventually, she was able to redeem the credit card points for at least $32,750 in gift cards since May 30, 2026. Ms. Bridges redeemed $12,000 of points on her American Express account for gift cards on May 30, the day after she was served with the TRO. She also redeemed points for gift cards on June 3, June 10, July 3, July 11, July 20, and July 26.

An NCUAB examiner stated in an affidavit: 

One American Express record that I reviewed is an audio recording of a caller who identified herself as “Leigh Bridges.” On that audio recording, the caller provided personal identifying information to verify herself to an American Express representative. During the call, the representative explains that Ms. Bridges’ account was frozen due to a fraud alert triggered by an attempt to redeem millions of points in the form of gift cards on Leigh Bridges’ American Express card. The representative states that the value of these gift cards was approximately $200,000. Ms. Bridges confirms that the redemption requests were made by her and were not the product of fraud. Following Ms. Bridges’ confirmation, the representative explained that freeze would be lifted and that Ms. Bridges would be able to redeem the points in the form of gift cards. 

A document she provided to the NCUAB indicates that she has only $15,035.05 in gift card balances as of August 19. Subtracting that amount from the $32,750 in gift cards she redeemed since May 30, 2026 shows that she used at least $17,714.95 of the gift cards she redeemed, and quite possibly more, as of August 19, a span of less than twelve weeks. Frozen property is being utilized extensively to fund living expenses outside of the knowledge of the NCUAB...

The examiner stated American Express (Classic Gold) , Apple,  and TJ Maxx  issued the gift cards. Correspondence from the Bridges indicates Leigh has $15,035 in gift cards while Chad has $10,384.  The gift cards are the "equivalent" of a debit card and thus can be spent if an account is frozen.  

Neither of the Bridges, noted the plaintiff, are employed after their employers fired them.  The motion posits the defendants can stay with relatives, "borrow from relatives", or use credit cards to pay their living expenses.  

The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Daniel Jordan, III and Magistrate Robert Myers, Jr. Judge Jordan scheduled a telephone conference be held tomorrow.