SPRINGFIELD, OR — A Gateway Credit Union employee has been charged with multiple felonies after allegedly stealing nearly $75,000 from six members over the past six months, according to court documents.
The accused, Laila Payne, was arrested after credit union staff contacted Springfield police on July 4, reporting suspicious financial activity. Documents and surveillance footage reportedly show Payne executing unauthorized withdrawals and internal transfers, leading to total losses of $74,700.
Payne, who began working at the credit union in January 2024, now faces seven charges, including:
Four counts of first-degree theft
Two counts of aggravated first-degree theft
One charge of computer crime
Police say Payne made admissions during questioning, acknowledging her role in the scheme. The thefts involved manipulating account data to move funds between members’ accounts before making cash withdrawals.
Authorities are reminding the public to monitor financial accounts regularly, especially in light of this breach of trust.
Payne’s court date and bail status have not yet been publicly released.
