Leigh Bridges took the Fifth Amendment in federal court this week although it is not known if she took a fifth. The disgraced Bridges is the former President of the Jackson Area Federal Credit Union. The credit union accused her and her husband Chad of embezzling between $55 and 95 million.
Leigh became President of the credit union in 2021 after serving as CFO. The President signed all financial statements and handled all account reconciliations for wire transfers. The Board terminated Bridges after it uncovered the alleged embezzlement. U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan, III issued a temporary restraining order against the Bridges in May and froze all assets.
The complaint claims Leigh Bridges doctored the books while looting her employer. NCUAB alleged Leigh made bogus automated clearing house entries, wired large sums of money to her personal accounts as well as luxury retailers such as Tiffany's, and made fraudulent entries in the general ledger. The couple used their share accounts at the credit union to further the alleged fraud.
The parent credit union accused Leigh of making over $51 million in false entries in the couple's share accounts from 2015 to 2026. (Read the complaint as it spells out in great detail how the money was spent. Earlier post with copy of complaint and list of the loot.)
Judge Jordan issued a preliminary injunction freezing the Bridges assets in July. NCUAB is the trustee for the assets and is allowed to seize any asset it determines were purchased with stolen funds.
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Next up in the saga was a round of answers from the defendants . Chad and his attorney Thomas McCraney argued:
16. Defendant admits that he was generally aware of share accounts at JAFCU, that he was a “mere title holder” and that he did not exercise dominion or control over said share accounts. Defendant denies any involvement in or knowledge of the acts forming the basis of Plaintiff’s Amended Complaint.
Jawohl. I know nothing.
Leigh Bridges once again provided the excitement in this case . The defendant filed a motion to stay proceedings last week. Leigh claimed she met with federal prosecutors recently. She agreed to waive indictment and accept a bill of information. A bill of information is used when the defendant pleads guilty.
Mrs. Bridges filed her own answer Monday. The answer contains the usual denials and affirmative defenses. However, she exercised her right against self-incrimination in the answer:
Paragraphs 54 – 59 of the Amended Complaint seek answers that Defendant reasonably believes could later be used against her in a parallel criminal proceeding. Defendant therefore invokes her privileges under the Fifth Amendment and exercises her right against self-incrimination in response to the allegations contained in paragraphs 54 – 59.
Leigh claimed Fifth Amendment protection repeatedly throughout the answer. Questions about Tina Frunez? Fifth Amendment. Allegations about fraud? Fifth Amendment. Allegations of embezzlement? Fifth Amendment.
It is clear federal prosecutors are working on the case as they prepare to render justice. Unfortunately for the credit union, their efforts to recover any embezzled funds will be handcuffed until the criminal prosecution concludes.
25 comments:
1 2 3 4 FIF!
"Leigh Bridges took the Fifth Amendment..."
Damn. She'll steal anything. But to be fair, that could not have been an easy thing to cram into a designer handbag and hide in her priceless Steinway (well, not anymore...). Oh, wait, you probably meant...nevermind.
Put that trash in jail where they belong
I plead the fizif! 1,2,3,4, FIF!!!
Why are they still in the U.S?
When she learned the credit union had caught her a year,2 years ago, before the assets were frozen, why didn’t she leave the country?
How does a person hide their true character well enough to become CFO, let alone CEO.
She took the Fifth and that’s number five. Does Jayden Daniels approve of this use of his number?
What department did she run for Fauci? I didn't think there were any fifths left after Fauci's congressional testimony.
Took a fifth and the money.
A million here and a million there and pretty soon we are talking about real money.
The Vault will certainly take a multi million hit. Ooops
She lived in Eastover?? Which house?
Something I have wondered.....
How in the heck could she steal that much money before her crimes were uncovered? Did that saving and Loan not have auditors??
Make it make sense...
Auditors do audits that figure out if the numbers reported are calculated correctly and balance.
Forensic auditors do audits that figure out if the numberts reported are accurately reported, and if the books aree cooked, and all the details of who did what, how they did it, and for how much
It’s Jackson.
Auditors should have worked to independently confirm all the credit union’s depository cash and investment accounts with other institutions. That’s the first week of auditing class. The CPA letters that many accountants have behind their names don’t mean anything without diligent work.
Auditor may have done job properly. Question is who got the audit. If it went straight to her, then good chance she altered it or paid others to ignore it. Remember, Horne did its job in Express Grain. It was Coleman who doctored the audits provided to the state.
Yep, computer "white-out."
CFO and CEO have no character. They are all manipulative and ego driven!
Old Sturdivant home
This whole thing is hot mess. Its 9 ways of jacked up and it's all on the management, board of directors, and her fellow employees!
Becoming nervous for my account there.
Where do they live???? Heard from MANY people in NE Jkn she sold lot her purses and sm furniture to consignment store about 5 mi from her house. Maybe hear say, but heard it several times. Guess she had time to make her spending cash before they took over house. Wake up!
Not that it matters, 10:01 p.m., but a credit union is not a savings & loan.
Let me guess, 12:17: you run a consignment store about 5 mi from her house, and you're not a native speaker of English. (and you're hoping for an influx of shoppers looking for "lot her purses")
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