Court records: Aurora Fire Credit Union president gambled away thousands
By Dan Campana For The Beacon-News November 29, 2012 3:14PM
Anne Schaal, charged with stealing from Aurora Firefighters Credit Union
Updated: January 1, 2013 6:28AM
GENEVA — Former Aurora Firefighters Credit Union President Anne Schaal admitted in her divorce settlement that she spent $580,000 in marital assets on a gambling addiction she hid from her husband of 46 years, according to court records.
Schaal, who served as credit union’s president from 1996 to 2011, made the admission in July as her marriage ended and other legal trouble loomed. Schaal’s husband filed for divorce in May.
“Anne acknowledges and admits that she became addicted to gambling during the marriage, kept such gambling activity and addiction from (her husband), and absconded with at least $580,563 in marital funds which she used to go gambling,” states the settlement document, which was filed in September.
Schaal is also being sued by the credit union. The lawsuit was in court for a brief hearing on Thursday. Neither Schaal, who has denied the suit’s allegations, nor her attorney were in court.
Although the divorce records offer a brief glimpse into the money trouble in Schaal’s personal life, there is no direct stated connection to the two other ongoing court cases stemming from allegations she misused credit union money for her personal use. Prosecutors charged Schaal in September with felony theft and unlawful use of a credit card related to approximately $35,000 in misappropriated credit union funds.
Officials with the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office and Aurora police said they could not comment on the Schaal’s case, or whether possible ties to gambling, because it is pending.
Schaal’s legal issues began in April when the credit union accused her of posting phantom payments to a general and personal credit union accounts, taking cash and using the union’s credit card for personal expenses, among other things, the lawsuit states. Additionally, she failed to make a required tax filing on the credit union’s behalf, which cost the credit union around $13,400, and made an error related to member credit cards that required the credit union to refund money to some members, the suit alleges. The credit union, which offers membership to firefighters and their families, previously said it had spent $70,000 to investigate financial irregularities. Credit union officials contacted Aurora police in late 2011, according to court documents.
The civil suit resumes in January, by which time some depositions should be completed, an attorney for the credit union told the judge. Schaal’s criminal case also resumes in January.
