Former Maui Credit Union Teller Sentenced for Embezzlement

By Maui Now Staff

A former Maui resident was sentenced yesterday to 3 years, 8 months jail for embezzling more than $163,000 from the Kulia Ohana Federal Credit Union in Wailuku.

Amy P. Waikiki, 36, pled guilty to counts charging her with embezzlement and a related offense, according to the US Attorney’s office.

United States Attorney Florence T. Nakakuni said Waikiki stole the funds from 34 credit union member accounts through 224 unauthorized transactions over a period in 2008 and 2009.

Waikiki worked for the credit union as a teller between August 8, 2008 and June 25, 2009.  Her employment was terminated when a theft conviction was handed down in state court involving charges incurred at a previous job with an insurance company, according to the US Attorney’s office.

In imposing sentence, United States District Judge David A. Ezra noted that Waikiki lied to her former employer, the insurance agency, about having cancer, and to the District Court’s Pretrial Services and Probation Officers by claiming to have a job on Maui when, in actuality, she was living in California without employment.

The court also indicated that Waikiki embezzled the money from the credit union while she was aware she was being investigated by the insurance company for stealing $28,000 in premiums from its clients, leaving many of them without insurance.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the case was prosecuted by Assistant US Attorney Marshall Silverberg.