Employee at Bellingham credit union reportedly stole from account of vulnerable adult
A credit union employee at a Bellingham credit union branch is suspected of making a fake debit card after assisting a vulnerable adult in June and using it to illegally withdraw funds from his account.
Bellingham Police booked Blaine resident Cherie Vaetoefaga LaFoga, 25, into Whatcom County Jail Thursday, Aug. 19 on suspicion of first-degree theft, first-degree identity theft and unlawful production of a payment instrument. Jail records show she was released Friday, Aug. 20, on $500 bail.
The victim’s family reported the suspected theft on June 30, Whatcom County Superior Court records show, after they believed that someone had withdrawn money from the victim’s BECU account several times in June.
Due to the victim’s age, health and decreased memory abilities, he can be considered a vulnerable adult, documents state.
The victim sought help with his account on June 1 and June 15 at BECU’s Lakeway branch after having problems recalling his pin number and online password, documents state. LaFoga reportedly assisted him both times, even accompanying him to the ATM and helping him make a withdrawal on June 15.
The victim later found five ATM withdrawals of between $1,400 and $1,500 made on June 10, June 15, June 16, June 21 and June 22, documents show.
The family believed the withdrawals were fraudulent and reported them to LaFoga at the Lakeway branch, documents state, who informed the family that the incident had been reported to the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office and provided them with a case number. LaFoga also reportedly told them that the incident would be reported to BECU’s internal reporting system.
The family followed up and found that the case number LaFoga had given them was fake and that no report had been made to BECU, according to documents.
BECU began investigating the fraud claim on July 1 after a claim was sent through the credit union’s system, documents state, and surveillance photos showed all transactions had been made by a woman, whom credit union employees identified as LaFoga.
BECU’s investigation found that LaFoga had manufactured a duplicate card for the victim’s account on June 8, court documents state. Having learned the victim’s pin while assisting him on June 1, LaFoga then reportedly had the ability to access his accounts illegally.
LaFoga stole a total of $7,400 from the victim’s account, court records show.
