Former GA credit union president sentenced to prison, must repay nearly $4.5M

VALDOSTA, Ga. — The former president of a Georgia credit union was sentenced to serve four years in prison and pay back nearly $4.5 million in restitution after admitting to running a multimillion-dollar bank loan and identity theft scheme.

Leah Lehman, 63, of Valdosta was sentenced on May 30.

She was ordered to pay $4,491,253.97 in restitution to Southern Pine Credit Union.

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Lehman pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft on Oct. 26, 2023.

In addition to the four years in prison, she will serve two years of supervised release after getting out of prison.

Her co-defendant, Teresa Paulo, of Valdosta, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft on Nov. 2, 2023.

Paulo faces a maximum of 30 years in prison for bank fraud, and a mandatory two years in prison in addition to any other prison term imposed for aggravated identity theft, followed by a maximum of five years of supervised release and a $1,000,000 fine.

She is scheduled to be sentenced on July 11.

Neither woman is eligible for parole.

“Lehman chose greed and deception, abusing her trusted leadership role to steal millions of dollars at this credit union over the course of many years,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Our office, alongside our law enforcement partners, take financial crimes seriously, and we will work to hold fraudsters accountable.”

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