Indictment: Credit Union Was Liquidated After Employee Stole More than $5 Million
WICHITA, KAN. – A Parsons woman was indicted Tuesday on federal charges of embezzling more than $5 million from a credit union that was declared insolvent and liquidated, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.
Nita Rae Nirschl, 64, Parsons, Kan., is charged in an 81-count indictment including 22 counts of embezzlement, 37 counts of money laundering, 18 counts of interstate transportation of stolen property and four counts of attempting to evade taxes. The indictment alleges the crimes took place while Nirschl worked for the Parsons Pittsburg Credit Union based in Parsons.
Following an audit that found the credit union was insolvent, the credit union was placed in conservatorship and ultimately liquidated in March 2014. The audit revealed that from 2010 to December 2014 Nirschl embezzled more than $5 million from the credit union. The indictment alleges she deposited money stolen from the credit union into her personal accounts. She withdrew the funds as cash from ATMs at Harrah’s North Kansas City casino, the Buffalo Run casino in Miami, Okla., the Stables casino in Miami, Okla., the Downstream casino in Quapaw, Okla., Harrah’s News Orleans casino and Harrah’s Lake Tahoe casino.
Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Embezzlement by a credit union employee: Up to 30 years in federal prison and a fine up to $1 million on each count.
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Money laundering: Up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
Interstate transportation of stolen property: Up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
Attempt to evade taxes: Up to five years and a fine up to $100,000.
The FBI and the Internal Revenue Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch is prosecuting.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Six men from Mexico were indicted Tuesday in a case of alleged alien smuggling.
Adrian Guzman-Rojas, 19, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with one count of knowingly transporting Mexican citizens who were not lawfully in the United States.
In court documents, investigators alleged that on March 10, 2017, Guzman-Rojas was driving a 2012 Buick Enclave when the Kansas Highway Patrol stopped him on Interstate 70 near Ellsworth, Kan. It is alleged that five men in the car with Guzman-Rojas were Mexican citizens who previously had been deported and who had returned to the United States unlawfully.
Charged with one count each of illegally re-entering the United States are the following:
Mario Esqivel-Garduno, 38, Ernesto Galeno-Castillo, 36, Juan Gonzalez-Vicente, 20, Manuel Luna-Macin, 31, and Alejandro Villa-Maldonado, 27, all citizens of Mexico.
Investigators allege Guzman-Rojas was being paid by smugglers in Phoenix.
Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Unlawful transportation of undocumented aliens: Up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to$250,000.
Un-lawful re-entry: Up to two years and a fine up to $250,000.
The case was investigated by the Kansas Highway Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement and Removal Operations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson.
Shannon Marie Grub, 34, Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a user of controlled substances. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in May and September 2016 in Wichita.
Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking: Not less than five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
Possession with intent to distribute: Not less than five years and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $2 million.
Unlawful possession of a firearm by a user of controlled substances: up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
The Wichita Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster is prosecuting.
Marquez I. Garcia, 32, Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of unlawful possession of ammunition following a felony conviction. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Dec. 21, 2016, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Wichita Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch is prosecuting.
Randy J. Johnson, 31, Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction. The crime is alleged to have occurred Jan. 13, 2015, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000, The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind is prosecuting.
Oscar Humberto Beltran-Ramirez, 37, Jorge Urquidez-Navarro, 42, and Hector Manuel Gomez-Panduro, 34, are charged with one count each of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In addition, Urquidez-Navarro is charged with knowingly transporting an illegal alien. The crimes are alleged to have occurred March 22, 2017, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
Up conviction, the drug charge carries a penalty of not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million. The transporting charge carries a penalty of up to five years and a fine up to $250,000. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct
