Criminal Charges Filed Against Former JAFCU CEO Leigh Bridges In Alleged Multimillion-Dollar Scheme
By CU Today Staff —
JACKSON, Miss.—Former Jackson Area Federal Credit Union President/CEO Leigh Bridges, already a defendant in an NCUA civil lawsuit over alleged massive losses at the credit union, is now facing federal criminal charges alleging she embezzled tens of millions of dollars and falsified financial records to conceal JAFCU’s true financial condition.
A criminal information filed Monday in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi charges Bridges with theft of funds from a federal credit union, making false statements involving the federally insured credit union and filing a false tax return. Prosecutors allege the embezzlement and cover-up began at least as early as 2011 and that Bridges transferred JAFCU funds to personal accounts and other accounts she controlled, using the money to purchase luxury items and real estate and fund domestic and international travel for herself, friends and family members--events outlined in previous CUToday.info reporting on NCUA's civil suit against the former CEO.
The filing provides detail on how prosecutors allege Bridges concealed the theft. The government says she posted fake deposits to member accounts, disguised them as electronic transfers from outside institutions and altered Corporate America Credit Union statements to make JAFCU appear to have tens of millions of dollars more than it actually did. Prosecutors cite a July 2025 statement in which Bridges allegedly inflated ACH credit-receiver transactions by almost $90 million. They also allege she posted false income entries to inflate JAFCU’s cash balance and, beginning around 2023, obtained outside funds to cover shortfalls from the alleged theft.
The criminal case also includes a tax charge alleging Bridges filed a 2024 federal income tax return reporting $359,633 in total income when she knew her income “substantially exceeded” that amount. The government is seeking forfeiture of property involved in or traceable to the alleged offenses.
NCUA placed the credit union into conservatorship and has separately sued Bridges, her husband, Chad Bridges, and former JAFCU branch manager Tina Funez. The criminal information filed Monday names only Leigh Bridges.
Originally reported by CU Today.