Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and David Sundberg, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that TARA KEWALIS, 50, of Beacon Falls, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to embezzling from a Waterbury credit union where she was employed.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Kewalis was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Skyline Financial Federal Credit Union located in Waterbury. From approximately September 2016 until her employment was terminated in March 2021, Kewalis used her position to access the credit union’s accounting system to create fraudulent accounts and make fraudulent entries, and steal $254,532 in credit union funds.
Kewalis pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement by a credit union officer or employee, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years. Judge Hall scheduled sentencing for March 1.
Kewalis is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. McGarry.