A 58-year-old woman from Prairie View has been sentenced to federal prison for embezzling funds while working at a credit union, according to U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Gloria Hall, who pleaded guilty to the charges earlier this year, will serve her sentence for the crime.
U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge has handed down a sentence of 24 months in federal prison to Hall. Following her prison term, she will be placed under five years of supervised release. Additionally, Hall has been ordered to pay restitution of $211,563.12 to her victims, who were clients of the Prairie View Federal Credit Union, as stated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The court acknowledged the profound consequences of Hall’s actions on the credit union, which had no choice but to merge with another institution as a result of her embezzlement.
Ganjei emphasized the importance of safeguarding our elderly and vulnerable citizens from fraud, stating that it is a crucial mission of their office. Hall, who worked as a manager at the credit union from 2017 to 2019, engaged in fraudulent activities by maintaining outdated business practices that hindered customers from accessing their accounts online. She confessed to illegally accessing and diverting funds from the accounts of at least two elderly customers for her own personal benefit.
The Prairie View Federal Credit Union, established by a historically black college or university in the United States, has a long-standing history. Unfortunately, it could not withstand the embezzlement committed by Hall. After operating for around 85 years, the credit union merged with Cy-Fair Federal Credit Union in early 2022.
Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams of the FBI Houston Field Office expressed his views on the larger consequences of Hall’s crimes. He emphasized that Hall not only exploited her position to steal the life savings of elderly bank customers for her own benefit but also undermined the rich history of the credit union, which had spanned over 80 years.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Bryan Resident Agency, and the case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Carter. Hall has been granted permission to remain on bond and will willingly surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility, which will be determined.
