TURN ABOUT IS FAIR PLAY
When it comes to resolving it's internal problems, nothing is ever simple at Priority One Credit Union in South Pasadena, California. During the month of June 2015, the credit union's attorney, John C. Steele of the Law Offices of Les Zieve in Irvine, California, filed a "Notice of Motion and Motion to Consolidate" ["the Notice"] seeking consolidation of the lawsuits filed by Priority One's insurance carrier, CUMIS, and the lawsuit filed by its former external auditor, Turner, Warren, Hwang, and Conrad.
The reasons for requesting consolidation is that the two lawsuits possess certain similarities including use of the same witnesses and documented evidence.
Under leadership of President Charles R. Wiggington, Sr., the number of lawsuits filed against and by the credit union have skyrocketed since his appointment on January 1, 2007. Lawsuits accusing Priority One of violating state and federal laws started in October 2010 when the former Branch Manager of the no longer existent Burbank office, accused the credit union of age and race discrimination. Over the three years that followed filing of that lawsuit, three other employees filed lawsuits alleging they were subject to sexual harassment, same-sex sexual harassment, retaliation, race discrimination, defamation of character and creation of a hostile working environment. The lawsuits were all voluntarily settled by the credit union with each Plaintiff signing an agreement that contained a disclaimer which declared that each settlement payment should not be construed as an admittance of wrong doing. In actuality, a settlement payments is an admittance that evidence possessed by a Plaintiff could result in an adverse judgment to the credit union. Furthermore, issuing a settlement payment avoids a potentially costly and embarrassing court trial and creation of a public record of the accusations, testimonies and final judgment.
Despite the payment of settlements, in 2013, President Wiggington and Vice President of Operations, Yvonne Boutte, boasted that the amount of each settlement were paltry and inconsequential to the credit union revealing once again, that Priority One's horrendous leadership have absolutely no concept of the detrimental impact lawsuits have upon a business.
In 2013, an officer of the Credit Union and more than likely, a member of the Credit Resolutions Department, posted comments about a Member and her then delinquent loan, throughout the Internet. The Member sued the Credit Union and within fix months, her complaint was voluntarily settled by Priority One. The settlement included:
- Writing off her remaining unpaid loan balance
- Removal of all adverse references from her credit union
- Issuance of a letter signed by President Wiggington admitting that someone disparaged the Member but denying he authorized the violation of the Privacy Act; and
- Paying the Member a settlement in the amount of almost $20,000 to avoid a costly and potentially embarrassing court trial.
To provide some understanding of the complexities involved in each of the current lawsuits, we are now providing summaries of all pre-trial meetings so far conducted. Remember, none of the lawsuits have actually proceeded to trial. It is also important to note that on June 4, 2015, Priority One's attorney filed a counter-complaint against the credit union's former external auditor, Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad.
CUMIS VS TWHC
Case Number BC541935
06/09/2015 Proof of Service
Filed by Attorney for Defendant/Respondent
06/09/2015 Order (GRANTING MOTION TO ADMIT ATTORNEY PRO HAC VICE )
Filed by Court
05/15/2015 Declaration of Diligence (Deposition Subpoena Served on Cynthia Villamin )
Filed by Attorney for Pltf/Petnr
05/15/2015 Motion in Limine (for an Order Excluding Any Expert Report by Defendants' Witness Michael J. Sacher, CPA; P's & A's; Declaration of Patrick J. Collins in Support thereof; [Proposed] Order thereon)
Filed by Attorney for Plaintiff/Petitioner
05/12/2015 Notice of Ruling
Filed by Attorney for Defendant/Respondent
05/04/2015 Statement-Case Management
Filed by Attorney for Plaintiff/Petitioner
05/01/2015 Receipt ( jury fees $150 )
Filed by Attorney for Defendant/Respondent
05/01/2015 Statement-Case Management
Filed by Attorney for Defendant/Respondent
04/29/2015 Statement-Case Management
Filed by Attorney for Defendant/Respondent
04/17/2015 Declaration of Diligence
Filed by Attorney for Plaintiff/Petitioner
04/14/2015 Notice of Change of Address
Filed by Attorney for Plaintiff/Petitioner
04/14/2015 Notice (OF STATUS CONFERENCE RE: RELATED CASES AND CONT CMC )
Filed by Attorney for Plaintiff/Petitioner
04/08/2015 Motion (TO ADMIT ATTORNEY PRO HAC VICE )
Filed by Attorney for Plaintiff/Petitioner
03/13/2015 Notice of Ruling
Filed by Attorney for Plaintiff/Petitioner
01/16/2015 Order (RE EX PARTE OF 01/16/15 )
Filed by Court
01/16/2015 Ex-Parte Application (DEFENDANT'S EX PARTE )
Filed by Attorney for Defendant/Respondent
01/08/2015 Notice-Related Cases
Filed by Attorney for Plaintiff/Petitioner
10/01/2014 Stipulation and Order
Filed by Court
08/18/2014 Notice of Association of Attorneys
Filed by Attorney for Plaintiff/Petitioner
08/18/2014 Notice of Ruling
Filed by Attorney for Plaintiff/Petitioner
07/18/2014 Notice of Motion (TO ADMIT ATTORNEYS PRO HAC VICE )
Filed by Attorney for Plaintiff/Petitioner
06/13/2014 Cross-complaint
Filed by Attorney for Cross-Complainant
06/13/2014 Summons Filed
Filed by Attorney for Cross-Complainant
05/30/2014 Statement-Case Management
Filed by Attorney for Defendant/Respondent
05/30/2014 Statement-Case Management
Filed by Attorney for Plaintiff/Petitioner
05/20/2014 Proof of Service
Filed by Attorney for Plaintiff/Petitioner
05/16/2014 Answer
Filed by Attorney for Defendant/Respondent
05/02/2014 Proof of Service
Filed by Attorney for Plaintiff/Petitioner
04/23/2014 Notice-Case Management Conference
Filed by Clerk
04/07/2014 Complaint
Filed by Attorney for Plaintiff/Petitioner
TWHC VS PRIORITY ONE CREDIT UNION
Case Number EC063303
07/01/2015 at 10:00 am in department 71 at 111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Motion for Leave
08/18/2015 at 10:00 am in department 71 at 111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Status Conference(& R/C BC541935)
08/24/2015 at 10:00 am in department 71 at 111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Status Conference(& R/C BC541935)
Documents Filed (Filing dates listed in descending order)
06/04/2015 Motion for Leave
Filed by Attorney for Defendant/Respondent
06/04/2015 Motion
Filed by Attorney for Defendant/Respondent
05/06/2015 at 10:00 am in Department 71, Suzanne G. Bruguera, Presiding
Status Conference (RE RELATED CASE AND CONT'D CMCFROM 04/06/15) - Completed
05/11/2015 at 10:30 am in Department 71, Suzanne G. Bruguera, Presiding
Telephonic Conference (& REL'D BC541935) - Completed
04/14/2015 Notice of Status Conference filed (RE RELATED CASES AND CONT CMC )
Filed by Attorney for Defendant/Respondent
04/06/2015 at 09:30 am in Department 71, Suzanne G. Bruguera, Presiding
Conference-Case Management - No Appearance
03/06/2015 at 03:30 pm in Department 71, Suzanne G. Bruguera, Presiding
Nunc Pro Tunc Order - Completed
03/16/2015 Notice of Ruling
Filed by Attorney for Defendant/Respondent
02/27/2015 Notice-Case Management Conference
Filed by Clerk
02/02/2015 Answer (TO COMPLAINT )
Filed by Attorney for Defendant
01/09/2015 Proof of Service (OF SUMMONS, COMPLAINT, CIVIL CASE COVER SHEET, CIVIL CASE COVER SHEET ADDENDUM AND STATEMENT OF LOCATION, NOTICE OF ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE RE FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH TRIAL COURT DELAY REDUCTION ACT...)
Filed by Attorney for Plaintiff
12/24/2014 Notice (OF RELATED CASE (BC541935 )
Filed by Attorney for Plaintiff
12/24/2014 Proof of Svc of Summons & Co./Ptn.
Filed by Attorney for Plaintiff
12/05/2014 Notice-Case Management Conference
Filed by Clerk
12/05/2014 OSC-Failure to File Proof of Serv
Filed by Clerk
12/05/2014 Complaint filed-Summons Issued
12/05/2014 Summons Filed
The lawsuits filed by (1) CUMIS against Turner, Warren, Hwang and (2) the lawsuit filed by Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad against Priority One Credit Union and (3) now, the lawsuit (cross-complaint) filed by Priority One Credit Union against Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad have absolutely nothing to do with proving who physically walked out of the Los Angeles branch during the years of 2010-2012 with $1 million in cash in their possession. This prompts us to wonder what has happened to CUMIS' initial complaint file against accused embezzler, Pearl Lynnette Fortson?
Historically, Ms. Fortson like every executive of Priority One Credit Union, was a mediocre Branch Manager and later, an even more mediocre AVP. However, her limitations aside, she apparently was a mastermind of no small stature when she inconspicuously and almost invisibly, walked out of the Los Angeles branch with more than $1 million in cash.The fact that she did so without detection by any of the Credit Union's overpaid officers, the evidently comatose Supervisory Committee and the brain dead Board of Directors is amazing.
CUMIS is exerting tremendous effort to build a case around Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad's alleged violation of established auditing standards which resulted in subpar reports provided to the Supervisory Committee who afterwards, compiled erroneous assessments of Priority One's actual financial performance and its internal security protocols. This is at least, what CUMIS hopes a jury will believe.
Certainly CUMIS is desperate to recuperate the monies paid to Priority One against the Credit Union's $1 million claim yet doesn't it seem at all peculiar that CUMIS is placing blame on Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad who had absolutely nothing to do with the physical removal of more than $1 million in cash from the Los Angeles branch.
Here is status of Ms. Fortson's case:
: CUMIS is exerting tremendous effort to build a case around Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad's alleged violation of established auditing standards which resulted in subpar reports provided to the Supervisory Committee who afterwards, compiled erroneous assessments of Priority One's actual financial performance and its internal security protocols. This is at least, what CUMIS hopes a jury will believe.
Certainly CUMIS is desperate to recuperate the monies paid to Priority One against the Credit Union's $1 million claim yet doesn't it seem at all peculiar that CUMIS is placing blame on Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad who had absolutely nothing to do with the physical removal of more than $1 million in cash from the Los Angeles branch.
Here is status of Ms. Fortson's case:
CUMIS VS PEARL LYNNETTE FORTSON
Case Number BC542611
- In a declaration filed on December 11, 2014, CUMIS' attorney, David R. Bence, states that during an August 1, 2014 hearing, he informed the court that Ms. Fortson had filed for bankruptcy protection. At the time, the court scheduled a bankruptcy status meeting for October 30, 2014.
- On October 3, 2014, Mr. Bence appeared in court and disclosed that his client, CUMIS, was preparing to file an Adversary Complaint. At the time, the Court set a bankruptcy conference for July 30, 2015, however, Mr. Bence later claimed that he never received a notice from the court advising him that the conference had been rescheduled to December 8, 2014.
- A status conference has now been scheduled to take place on August 5, 2015 at Superior Court in Los Angeles.
Ms. Fortson's filing for bankruptcy protection is actually quite clever. If approved, she will not have to pay restitution for the money she allegedly embezzled.
During the years of 2010 through 2013 Priority One's annual spending on legal skyrocketed from approximately $20,000 to $22,000 spent in the years while William E. Harris served as President and CEO, to an unprecedented more than $120,000 (per year).
Frustrated with our periodic publication of the Credit Union's legal expenditures, in 2014, President Wiggington ordered removal of the credit union's monthly and annual legal expenses from its Income Statement/Balance Sheet. President Wiggington's efforts to hide the amount spent on "legal" is hardly necessary to gauge its effect upon the Credit Union's financial performance. Since 2008, President Wiggington has exacted tremendous effort to ensure Net Capital remains well above 6%. This meant closing branches, implementing a company-wide wage freeze that affected everyone but the executive sector. He also reduced spending on marketing, advertising and business development and ceased almost all together, the credit union's involvement in community and chamber sponsored events. The end result has been a continual struggle to try and garner new business and members. The credit union's efforts have been continually been undermined by growing disinterest by Members and potential Members in the financial products offered by the credit union coupled by a large number of account closures. The failure to generate consistent high profits have also impacted the Credit Union's ability to pay its bills. As Bankrate.com has reported each year since 2011, Priority One's suffers from "above normal overhead."
It is clear that Priority One's high legal expenses which increased to a total of more than $500,000 during the years of 2010-2013, are heavily taxing the credit union. The added expenditures pay for attorneys who work frantically to fabricate defenses that are intended to help Priority One escape retribution for the failures, abuses and negligible behaviors committed by the President, the Board of Directors, and the Supervisory Committee.
But First......
Due to the over 40-pages of legal documents filed by the Credit Union on June 4, 2015, we will have to continue our reporting about the lawsuits over the next 1 or two publications. However, at this time we'd like to report on other events occurring at Priority One that are not related to the lawsuits.
RAISES FOR SOME EMPLOYEES
The Credit Union announced during its April 2015 all staff meeting that following a more than four (4) year wage freeze, there would be a PARTIAL lifting of the company's four-year wage freeze.
To be accurate, the four-year freeze never affected every single employee of the credit union. The wage freeze was officially introduced in late 2010 by President Wiggington and then COO, Beatrice Walker. The reason why the freeze was implemented is that Priority One was not obtaining the level of new business needed to offset its expenditures. At the time, net capital had dropped to 6.8% and the DFI informed the President that he needed to raise net capital, suggesting he streamline operations including, close branches that were not operating at optimum.
Despite implementation of the freeze, at the end of 2010, the President received a bonus from the Board of Directors and in the years since 2010, has received annual bonuses and raises. His failures, illegal acts and immersion in scandals were evidently inconsequential to the Board of Directors and the loss of more than $20 million in net income and the filing of numerous lawsuits were of absolutely no consequence to his continue stay as Priority One's worst President and CEO in its more than 87 year history.
The partial lifting of the freeze should not be construed as an indicator that business has improved. The credit union remains in a financial slump and as we saw in 2014 and 2015, he continues to hide the organization's annual reports.
In 2010, we witnessed a similar incident. In February 2010, President Wiggington and then COO, Beatrice Walker, spread rumors that Priority One had generated profits during the month of January. As evidence to profit, the Income Statement/Balance Sheet for the month of January 2010 showed profits in excess of $100,000. The claims to profit seemed suspicious because the credit union ended 2009 more than $5 million in the negative. By March 2010, a representative of the Accounting Department revealed that the President and Ms. Walker transferred monies from one of the credit union's general ledgers and reported the "borrowed" money as profits where no profit had occurred. The year ended with income more than $500,000 in the negative.
FINALLY, THE DEPARTURE OF JOSEPH GARCIA
Joseph Garcia, the man who was once known as former COO, Bea Walker's number one confidant and who over a two-year period was promoted from Call Center Supervisor to Consumer and Real Estate Loan Department Manager, Credit Manager and later demoted to Consumer Loan Manager and demoted again to Assistant Consumer Loan Manager and promoted to AVP of Sales and Business Development and finally, demoted to Business Development Representative and who failed at every position he held, has finally department the credit union on his own volition. He won't be missed.
In 2010, Mr. Garcia provided false testimonies to the President which facilitated the expulsion of several employees the President, then COO, Beatrice Walker, and Executive Vice President, Rodger Smock, labeled enemies of their regime.
By early 2011, Mr. Garcia's relationship with his former benefactor, Beatrice Walker, had deteriorated and having discovered that she had targeted him for termination, the cowardly Mr. Garcia fled the credit union on a medical leave alleging he was suffering from stress.
While on medical leave, Ms. Walker was terminated and Mr. Garcia returned to work shortly thereafter.
He spent the next two months, wooing the President and by November 2011, the obtuse Mr. Wiggington promoted Mr. Garcia to Vice President of Sales and Business Development. Mr. Garcia promised he would "force" employees to perform or they would suffer termination. With then Chief Loan Officer, Cindy Garvin, the two developed quotas for every employee and on February 2, 2012, launched their new program. Over the next eight months, Mr. Garcia and Ms. Garvin orchestrated the termination of many new and long-time employees for failing to attain their quotas. By October 2012, it was obvious that Mr. Garcia's strategies had all failed. Frustrated, Ms. Garvin threatened to terminate him and he again, fled the credit union on yet another medical leave of absence again alleging work induced stress. In December 2012, Ms. Garvin was terminated and Mr. Garcia returned to work in January though upon his return, he was advised that he was being demoted to the post of Priority One's one and only Business Development Representative. At the time, he was assigned a monthly quota of $150,000.
Over the next two years Mr. Garcia never attained his quota. His highest number of loans funded for a single month approximated $30,000. Despite his gross failures, the President exempted him from the credit union's policy which explicitly stated employees who failed to attain their quotas during a consecutive two-month period would be terminated.
Over the next two years, Mr. Garcia became another useless fixture of the credit union, contributing absolutely nothing to the betterment of the company.
In the weeks preceding his May departure, Mr. Garcia was sent to work at the Van Nuys branch in the position of interim Branch manager. While there, he complained that his employer was forcing him to drive each day from his residence in Montclair to Van Nuys and that he had grown weary of being taken advantage of.
Before being unceremoniously terminated in July 2011, then COO, Beatrice Walker, used to boast that if you wanted to force an employee to resign, all you had to do was transfer the, to a branch that was located furthest from their home. Mr. Garcia, the man who was a polarizing presence in the credit union and who was responsible for the termination of dozens of employees in 2012, and who failed in every capacity he served in, fell victim to Bea Walker's infamous ploy, finally driven out by President Wiggington.
A NEW CFO? NOT EXACTLY
What do you get when you can no longer afford to hire a CFO? You hire a Controller. Of course a CFO is not synonymous with being a Controller though President Wiggington is hoping to force a change in what defines the responsibilities of a Controller.
In 2014, the President revealed that he and Board Chair, Diedra Harris-Brooks, and Executive Vice President, Rodger Smock, agreed that when a new CFO was hired to replace former CFO, Saeid Raad, that no announcement would be posted by the credit union. Their reasoning was that they didn't want the information to find its way to the Internet.
In 2014, the credit union hired a Controller to fill the position vacated by Saeid Raad. However, the position to hire a Controller versus a CFO, was economics. The fact is, Priority One could no longer afford to pay a salary of $140,000 or more, to a new CFO. So they opted for a more economical alternative. The Controller is Simona Hollins who prior to her arrival at Priority One, worked for SH Account Services and obtained an MBA in Accounting from the University of Phoenix.
This is not the first time Priority One has had a Controller. After the departure of CFO, Manny Gaitmaitan, at the end of 2009, the President convinced the Board of Directors that he could promote then Accounting Supervisor, Jennifer Kelly, to the post of Controller and that she would be able to perform most of the responsibilities once performed by Mr. Gaitmaitan. Ms. Kelly proved that a Controller is not a CFO and her stint as Controller was short-lived.
Additionally, Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad states that the theft of more than $1 million was the result of acts committed by unnamed "others" and not their firm. So who are these "others" who allegedly committed acts including dispensing advice which created the opportunity for the theft of more than $1 million?
Unlike her predecessor, Mr. Raad, who was introduced to the Credit Union through his then friend, COO, Beatrice Walker, Ms. Hollins does not appear to have a business association with either the President or members of his executive sector.
Unlike Mr. Raad who was introduced to the credit union by his former friend and associate, Beatrice Walker, Ms. Hollins does not appear to have been hired as a result of cronyism. Hopefully, she won't compromise ethics and like Mr. Raad, choose to manipulate the credit union's financial reporting practices.
THE WILD WEST
Due to the amount of documentation filed by CUMIS, Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad and more recently, by Priority One Credit Union's attorney, we will only provide a small portion of the documents proving the reasons why the various Plaintiffs have filed complaints against one another.
On June 4,2015, John C. Steele, attorney for the credit union filed the notice seeking consolidation accompanied by a counter-complaint filed by his client and alleging breaches of contract by Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad during each year (2008-2013) when the outside auditor provided reports based on audits that were conducted out-of-compliance to established and mandated auditing standards. Mr. Steels begins by presenting the facts underlying the lawsuits brought be each party.
Memorandum Points and Authorities
II. Statement of Facts
II. Statement of facts.
Priority One entered into a business relationship with Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad on March 31, 2008 and which continued until March 31, 2013. In February 2013, an audit of the Los Angeles branch's records revealed that more than $1 million in cash had been embezzled by Pearl Lynnette Fortson who CUMIS identifies as the Branch Manager of that office. The thefts occurred over a two-year period, 2010-2012, and began either in "early" or "late" 2010 and continued through 2012. In their lawsuit, CUMIS makes the following statements:
- Ms. Fortson embezzled the money by herself or with accomplices.
- The thefts began either in “early” or “late” 2010 and continued through 2012.
- In February 2013, on the date she was terminated, Ms. Fortson served in the capacity of Branch Manager of the Los Angeles office.
- Did Ms. Fortson steal more than $1 million in cash during the years of 2010 through 2012 by herself and without assistance or was she aided by an accomplice(s)?
- Why couldn't CUMIS' experts obtain a more precise date when the thefts occur. Did these begin in "early" 2010 or "late" 2010?
- CUMIS identifies Ms. Fortson as the Branch Manager of the Los Angeles branch on the date she was terminated but Ms. Fortson was actually an AVP and had not been a Branch Manager since 2007.
Discrepancies with information seem to be a chronic problem with anything related to Priority One. At times, the discrepancies are intentional, such as when President Wiggington chooses to manipulate reporting. In regards to the Notice filed on April 4, 2015, CUMIS states it reviewed the evidence provided by Priority One Credit Union regarding the theft of more than $1 million from the Los Angeles branch's vault. CUMIS' review concluded that Priority One's "employee dishonesty claim" possessed sufficient merit justifying payment of the claim. CUMIS paid the $1,005,376.00 claim minus the $25,000 deductible for a total of $980,055.10.
Following payment of the claim, CUMIS next entered into a settlement agreement with Priority One which allowed CUMIS to seek recovery of the monies paid against the credit union's claim. Legal ease aside, this should not be construed to mean that CUMIS filed a lawsuit on behalf of the credit union but that they are trying to recuperate every penny paid against the claim in addition to any other awards the court may deem appropriate.
Based on the information contained in the Notice, its now clear that on April 24, 2014, the date CUMIS filed its lawsuit against Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad, they had not gathered the evidence needed to prove their allegations against the external auditor. The inaccuracies and uncertainties we've described suggest that CUMIS filed their lawsuit to ensure filing occurred within the statute of limitations allotted under law. By doing so, CUMIS could amend their complaint at a later date. What's more, the Notice which was filed on June 4, 2015, slightly more than one year after CUMIS filed its lawsuit, reveals that one of CUMIS' "experts" founded enough additional evidence of wrong doing allegedly perpetrated by Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad allowing Priority One to file a counter-complaint against their former external auditor.
Though there is nothing illegal about CUMIS' actions, the Notice suggests that the insurance carrier is quite desperate to recuperate the monies paid against Priority One's claim. Their desperation is sufficient that they were able, after one year, to provide Priority One Credit Union information that allowed the credit union to file a counter-complaint. If we didn't know better, we might think that CUMIS is trying to bombard Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad with as many complaints and allegations of wrong doing to sway a jury to issue a judgment in their favor.
CUMIS' CASE
Specifically, CUMIS accuses Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad of:
- Failing to perform annual financial statement audits of the credit union "in compliance with professional standards governing:
- CPA auditors
- Federal regulations governing audits of credit unions
- Violating the terms of its agreements with Priority One for each year from 2008 through 2013
TURNER, WARREN, HWANG
AND CONRAD'S CASE
Priority One's attorney, John C. Steele, takes a moment to over emphasize that on "December 5, 2014- eight months after CUMIS filed its Complaint- TWHC filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court (Case No. ECO63303), seeking a money judgment against Priority One for Priority One's failure to pay $68,299.79 in alleged monies owned to TWHC for the post-embezzlement investigation and preparation of a report." Mr. Steele's caddy tone is not lost on us.
He continues, stating that Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad seeks payment of $68,299.79 which the credit union failed to pay for services rendered. Doesn't it serve as a poor example when a credit union- a financial entity, that claims to be a "financial fitness center", refuses to pay its debts?
- According to Mr. Steele, Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad's lawsuit accuses Priority One of breaching the agreement entered into with Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad.
- Furthermore, Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad seek quantum meruit which simply means they seek "a reasonable sum of money" to pay for services rendered and work completed at the request of the Credit Union.
- Lastly, Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad ask the court for any amount due on open book account.
Priority One
Credit Union's Cross-Complaint
The disclosures made by Priority One's attorney, seems to indicates that since the thefts were discovered in February 2013, the credit union has remained in a stupor completely oblivious to the alleged failures committed by Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad and only realized in April 2015 that the reports provided to them in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 were immersed in deficiencies. Clearly Priority One remains lost in a fog and like their inability to protect credit union and Member assets, it seems that they are quite oblivious to the validity of the records they utilize in forecasting the Credit Union's future performance or in assessing the effectiveness of its security protocols.
FACTS
CUMIS has accused Turner, Warren, Hwang, and Conrad of negligible auditing practices.
CUMIS alleges that if it weren't for these negligible practices, Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad would have noticed the thefts allegedly perpetrated by former AVP, Lynnette Fortson, which would have brought and end to the thefts.
Though the subject of auditing standards is important to ensure reports provided to the Credit Union are accurate for the purpose of developing projections and assessments, the FACT remains, Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad had absolutely no involvement in the physical removal of cash from the Los Angeles branch.
According to the cross-complaint filed earlier this month by Priority One Credit Union, shoddily compiled reports produced by Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad were provided to the Credit Unions for the years 2008 through 2013. As a result, the Supervisory Committee created erroneous assessments based on the information provided by the external auditor.
2009: An audit performed by Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad revealed that more than $60,000 were stolen by a former receptionist of the Los Angeles branch.
CUMIS alleges that if it weren't for these negligible practices, Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad would have noticed the thefts allegedly perpetrated by former AVP, Lynnette Fortson, which would have brought and end to the thefts.
- So why didn't Priority One's internal security protocols ever identify a single theft allegedly perpetrated by the former AVP?
- Why didn't the Accounting Department which oversees cash sent to and received from all branches never identify a single discrepancy?
- Why didn't the Credit Union's Vice President of Compliance ensure that all branches were carrying out banking procedures pursuant to state and federal mandates and credit union policy?
- Why didn't the Supervisory Committee perform its due diligence and personally conduct its own audits of branch cash? Is it customary for the Supervisory Committee to rely solely on the reports provided by external auditors or do they take the initiative to verify the accuracy of the information they're provided?
- How did the AVP transport more than $1 million in cash from the Los Angeles vault without ever being observed by branch personnel?
- What exactly does President Wiggington do to ensure security protocols are being performed by branch staffs?
- How does Priority One's Vice President of Operations ensure that security measures are maintained and when necessary, amended?
2009: An audit performed by Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad revealed that more than $60,000 were stolen by a former receptionist of the Los Angeles branch.
2010: A married couple, knowingly withdrew more than $100,000 from their HELOC checking account even though the term of the HELOC had expired. When asked to repay the monies, the couple refused. CUMIS' investigator interviewed current and former employees of the Real Estate Loan Department who all confirmed the Credit Union was at times negligent about closing HELOCs. Despite the admittance of negligence, CUMIS paid the claim.
With regards to the latest claim filed by the Credit Union, CUMIS paid $980,055.10 against the Credit Union's claim of $1,005,376.00. CUMIS' decision to pay the credit union's claims is enigmatic since the question of the effectiveness of Priority One's security protocols should be scrutinized and further investigated.
The credit union's refusal to pay the money owed Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad for services rendered following discovery in February 2013, that former AVP, Pearl Lynnette Fortson, embezzled more than $1 million, would not be the first time the organization drags its perennial feet to pay it debts. In 2010, then CFO, Saeid Raad, instructed the Accounting Department to withhold issuing payment on all invoices for at least 4 weeks after they were received by the Credit Union. He also ordered that employee reimbursements be paid out once per month which created a financial hardship to many of the Credit Union's low paid staff. His reason for withholding payments was because Priority One Credit Union did not have sufficient money budgeted to pay its expenses. Despite strained finances, President Wiggington would continue to insist over the next four years that business was great and the Credit Union., experiencing a financial resurgence. His statements were utterly untrue.
With regards to the latest claim filed by the Credit Union, CUMIS paid $980,055.10 against the Credit Union's claim of $1,005,376.00. CUMIS' decision to pay the credit union's claims is enigmatic since the question of the effectiveness of Priority One's security protocols should be scrutinized and further investigated.
The credit union's refusal to pay the money owed Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad for services rendered following discovery in February 2013, that former AVP, Pearl Lynnette Fortson, embezzled more than $1 million, would not be the first time the organization drags its perennial feet to pay it debts. In 2010, then CFO, Saeid Raad, instructed the Accounting Department to withhold issuing payment on all invoices for at least 4 weeks after they were received by the Credit Union. He also ordered that employee reimbursements be paid out once per month which created a financial hardship to many of the Credit Union's low paid staff. His reason for withholding payments was because Priority One Credit Union did not have sufficient money budgeted to pay its expenses. Despite strained finances, President Wiggington would continue to insist over the next four years that business was great and the Credit Union., experiencing a financial resurgence. His statements were utterly untrue.
And though Priority One is using the allegations against Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad to refuse issuing payment to its former external auditor, we believe that the refusal to pay is related to the Credit Union's strained finances and its continually looming overhead which does not abate because of Priority One's floundering business development efforts.
There was a time, when the Supervisory Committee used to frequently visit each of Priority One's branch's and physically counted money in the vaults for the express purpose of ensuring cash balanced with the amounts of cash recorded in vault ledgers. Since Charles R. Wiggington, Sr. was appointed President and since both Cornelia Simmons became the committee's Chairperson, the practice that ensured safety, has been discarded.
What's more, under Ms. Simmons, the committee does not meet on a monthly basis as it did when William E. Harris Was President. We believe the committee's minutes should be subpoenaed to prove how often they meet, what topics are discussed during their meetings, and which of the credit union's security measures have been reviewed and which which have been updated and amended.
Though we intend to continue our dissection of the more than 40 page Notice submitted by Priority One's attorney in our next publication, we'd like to briefly describe Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad's responses to each of the accusations leveled by CUMIS in their complaint filed with the Superior Court of California. Turner, Warren, Hwang, and Conrad provided a total of twenty-six Affirmative Defenses in their reply. Not surprisingly, the external auditor denies every one of CUMIS' ' accusations.
DEFENSE SUMMARY
Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad declares that in their lawsuit, CUMIS fails to provide evidence proving the external auditor committed professional negligence and that they breached the agreements entered into with Priority One Credit Union. What's more, they describe CUMIS' allegations as “uncertain, vague, and ambiguous” and add that as subrogee of the credit union, CUMIS does not possess the “legal capacity” in the state of California, to file a lawsuit against their firm. CUMIS is also accused of delaying filing of their lawsuit and in doing so, caused detriment to the auditing firm.
Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad further assert that Priority One Credit Union’s conduct created the opportunity which enabled the theft of more than $1 million from the Los Angeles branch and accuses the credit union of “Unclean hands”, a legal term which brings into question the ethical conduct of the infamous and scandal ridden credit union, its managing officers, and two governing bodies, i.e., the Board of Directors and Supervisory Committee.
Additionally, Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad states that the theft of more than $1 million was the result of acts committed by unnamed "others" and not their firm. So who are these "others" who allegedly committed acts including dispensing advice which created the opportunity for the theft of more than $1 million?
The persons, departments or governing bodies which may include:
- President Wiggington
- Former CFO, Saeid Raad
- Three COO's: Beatrice Walker (2010-2011); Cindy Garvin (2011-2012); and Yvonne Boutte (2012-Present)
- Vice President of Compliance, Patricia Loiacano
- Board Chair, Diedra Harris-Brooks, and the Board of Directors
- Supervisory Committee Chair, Cornelia Simmons, and the Supervisory Committee
- The Accounting Department
- The credit union's internal auditor
- Any other external consultants and/or auditors
DID SOMEONE SAY,
"PAST NEGLIGENCE"?
"PAST NEGLIGENCE"?
We recently came across the following 2007 article which we were previously unaware of. The article reminds us of the many security problems that have plagued Priority One since Charles R. Wiggington, Sr was appointed President. The lawsuits currently in litigation are the culmination of the President's inability to review the credit union's internal controls and introduce changes to resolve deficiencies found in Priority One's policies and procedures.
CONCLUSION
The Yellow M and M
Nowadays, Priority One' is best defined by its legal problems. The lawsuits filed each and every year since 2010 have exposed the unethical and abusive behaviors of President Charles R. Wiggington, Sr. and what seems to be his disdain for laws, policies and structure created to protect the credit union's assets. This same contempt towards rules is echoed by the Board of Directors and Supervisory Committee who have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars since 2007, ensuring President Wiggington remains in power.
The counter-complaint filed on June 4, 2015, by the credit union can reasonably be viewed as yet another attempt by Priority One's leadership to escape accountability for their failures to ensure security protocols were being practiced and to find a scapegoat who will be held culpable for the $1 million in cash from the Los Angeles branch.
With tremendous assistance by its insurance carrier, CUMIS, Priority One is now targeting its former external auditor, Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad and holding them responsible for the theft of more than $1 million in cash despite the fact CUMIS concluded that the credit union's security protocols were being maintained at the time the thefts occurred. So how did the credit union's allegedly well designed and effective security measures fail to identify or thwart the thefts that transpired during the years of 2010-2012?
The big question remains as to how a single employee, with or without assistance by an accomplice(s), could physically remove more than $1 million in cash from the Los Angeles branch's vault without detection by the Supervisory Committee, the Board of Directors, three COO's, the Vice President of Compliance, and President Wiggington?
The idea that several thefts occurred without detection brings into scrutiny the effectiveness of Priority One's policies and procedures designed to allegedly protect credit union and Member assets. We'd certainly like anyone from CUMIS to explain how they determined that Priority One's security implements are functioning at optimum.
As we've reported over the past six years, Priority One's executive sector and its Directors and Supervisors are gross incompetents, ignorant about the credit union's internal procedures that they allegedly are qualified to oversee. We hope Turner, Warren, Hwang, and Conrad's attorney will ask those important questions that will prove the competency or incompetency of the members of the credit union's two governing bodies.
When Charles R. Wiggington, Sr. was first appointed President, he was given a wonderful opportunity to lead the then growing credit union in a manner that befits a President of a Credit Union. Instead the inept officer chose to demonstrate his contempt towards laws and policies, ignoring what was beneficial to the Credit Union and seeking anything and everything needed to placate his bloated ego. Instead, the obstreperous and childish President chose to don all the dignity of the Yellow M and M and becoming the physical personification of everything that is counter-productive and or that is good for any business.
The counter-complaint filed on June 4, 2015, by the credit union can reasonably be viewed as yet another attempt by Priority One's leadership to escape accountability for their failures to ensure security protocols were being practiced and to find a scapegoat who will be held culpable for the $1 million in cash from the Los Angeles branch.
With tremendous assistance by its insurance carrier, CUMIS, Priority One is now targeting its former external auditor, Turner, Warren, Hwang and Conrad and holding them responsible for the theft of more than $1 million in cash despite the fact CUMIS concluded that the credit union's security protocols were being maintained at the time the thefts occurred. So how did the credit union's allegedly well designed and effective security measures fail to identify or thwart the thefts that transpired during the years of 2010-2012?
- Not only did the credit union's security protocols fail to deter the thefts of cash from the vault but in 2009, these same protocols failed to detect numerous internal thefts totaling more than $60,000 and perpetrated by a receptionist of the Los Angeles branch.
- And once again, these same protocols failed to stop a married couple of withdrawing more than $100,000 from a HELOC checking account whose term had expired.
The big question remains as to how a single employee, with or without assistance by an accomplice(s), could physically remove more than $1 million in cash from the Los Angeles branch's vault without detection by the Supervisory Committee, the Board of Directors, three COO's, the Vice President of Compliance, and President Wiggington?
The idea that several thefts occurred without detection brings into scrutiny the effectiveness of Priority One's policies and procedures designed to allegedly protect credit union and Member assets. We'd certainly like anyone from CUMIS to explain how they determined that Priority One's security implements are functioning at optimum.
As we've reported over the past six years, Priority One's executive sector and its Directors and Supervisors are gross incompetents, ignorant about the credit union's internal procedures that they allegedly are qualified to oversee. We hope Turner, Warren, Hwang, and Conrad's attorney will ask those important questions that will prove the competency or incompetency of the members of the credit union's two governing bodies.
When Charles R. Wiggington, Sr. was first appointed President, he was given a wonderful opportunity to lead the then growing credit union in a manner that befits a President of a Credit Union. Instead the inept officer chose to demonstrate his contempt towards laws and policies, ignoring what was beneficial to the Credit Union and seeking anything and everything needed to placate his bloated ego. Instead, the obstreperous and childish President chose to don all the dignity of the Yellow M and M and becoming the physical personification of everything that is counter-productive and or that is good for any business.
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219 comments:
1 – 200 of 219 Newer› Newest»All of this is Wiggington's fault. Screw the fact that TWHC prepared the reports incorrectly, if Wiggington had made sure everyone was working within policy, there is no way $1 million would of been stolen.
I was standing next to Diedra, Cornelia and O. Glen Saffold when they got into the company van back in 2008 which they were going to drive to the lawyer's office when Wiggington was being investigated for sexual harassment. I remember how Cornelia got in the back seat smacking her gum while Diedra told them how they had to make sure Wiggington got called back. The detective hadn't even finished his investigation and Diedra was already planning to ignore the evidence and have him reinstated. I hope the lose this trial.
If you knew Wiggington when he was VP of Operations, you knew he would destroy the credit union if he was ever named president and he was and he did.
He was a horrible VP of Operations which is probably why so much money has been stolen by employees of the Los Angeles office.
FUN FACT: Wiggington is Black. Diedra Harris-Brooks is Black. The Los Angeles branch is located in a predominantly Black community. The robbery in 2009 was committed by a Black receptionist. The couple that took the more than $100,000 from a HELOC that should have been closed were Black. The $1 million were stolen by a Black AVP. Just saying.
How is TWHC supposed to provide accurate reports each time they audit records if Wiggington is usually altering reporting by providing profits where none have happened and lowering losses? Don't believe it, then subpoena Manny Gaitmaitan, Bea Walker, Tsui Tang, and Saeid Raad.
I agree. Wiggington plays with reporting. If any auditor is supposed to review Priority One's records, then what guarantee is there that the records they're provided haven't been tampered with?
If they subpoena ex-employees of the South Pasadena branch who used to retrieve files requested by the auditors, they might confirm that whenever outside auditors requested to inspect specific files, Rodger Smock would go through each file to make sure there wasn't any documentation that could reveal the credit union wasn't complying to the loan policy or state laws. I actually got reprimanded by Esmeralda Sandoval for handing a file to the auditors and not given it to Rodger who she said, "Needs to go through the file to make sure there aren't any documents we don't want the auditors to see."
The biggest mistake TWHC did was having a working relationship with Priority One. Anything that touches the credit union goes bad.
I can't imagine that Diedra, Cornelia or Charles will make ideal witnesses. You really have to see these people to know how uneducated they come off. More importantly, does Cornelia possess the intelligence to answer questions about what the supervisory committee does? She and Diedra are liars and neither is a competent Chair. They both covered up the evidence that proved Wiggington sexually harassed a former female employee and they both have supported Wiggington with playing with financials. Let's see if these lowlife scan lie convincingly on the stand.
I hope the lawyers for TWHC call lots of ex-employees who can testify about how Wiggington changes the numbers on the books and who can provide a true picture of his character.
What a mess Wig has made.
I don't understand CUMIS' lawsuit. If they know that the AVP took the money over 2 years, then how can TWHC be responsible for the actions committed by the AVP? I understand suing TWHC for poor auditing and breach of contract but how can they be responsible for the physical theft of money. Let's say one of their audits discovered some of the thefts before the AVP had taken a full $1 million, then would CUMIS be holding TWHC responsible for the amount that was stolen before they discovered the thefts?
CUMIS is taking a gamble but when the stakes are $1 million, they probably almost have to sue.
I still can't understand why Wiggington was never fired back in 2007 when he let all those mailings go out with member account and social security numbers printed on the outside. Every year he's been there, he causes more and more problems and all illegal. I know some people think the board keeps him because he's black like Diedra, Saffold, Hale and Thomas and the entire supervisory committee but is that truly the reason why you'd keep the worst president in the industry on payroll?
Maybe one or none of these are the reasons Wiggington was never fired:
a. The color of his skin because you know they didn't keep him because he's smart
b. He has something on Diedra and/or the other board members
c. Diedra and the board know he's a sexual harasser and car stealer but they might have something else on him; or
d. They've all been slowly funneling money out of the credit union
And no body ever mentions Patti Loiiacano. She was the VP of compliance when all the robberies took place but was removed over compliance right after the robberies were discovered. If she was compliance, what did she do to ensure security was being practiced by all employees. And procedures require double custody when handling money in the vault. How did Lynnette go in the vault, change books, open her purse and drop in a few thousand dollars if she was not supposed to be in the vault without another staff member?
Look ... I don't see Wiggington lasting 12 months.
Some points & issues to clarify. CUMIS (the insurance & bonding company) paid the claim for dishonesty... that's the insurance they provide. For paying the claim, the CU gives the bonding company the 'right of subrogation' .... this means it gives the insurance company the right to go after the individual(s) that were responsible for the loss.
By extension, the insurance company is trying to minimize its losses by looking at other potential sources for getting their money back. Assuming the responsible person(s) do not have $1,000,000 anymore they will simultaneously look elsewhere.
So, they are looking for 'Big Pockets'....one of which is TWHC CPA firm. The Board & Wiggington were pointing their fingers at TWHC for not discovering the defalcation and the 'embezzler'for dishonesty.
In reality they should being pointing at themselves in the mirror. They are the problem.
It's going to get real messy when public filings start coming through.
In addition, it is very possible that Wiggington will then be placed on CUMIS' "BLACK LIST" of non-insurable risks. Each employee or official of a federally insured financial institution has to be "bondable". Wiggington's record will become more public and other policyholders (credit unions) will see the risk that the insurance company is continuing to insure.....they are the ones paying Wiggington's claims.... they will want that to cease.
Wiggington will get the dreaded letter & phone call in the next year, for sure & he's gone. A week or two before official notification to Wiggy, the Feds and State Examiners will all converge on the credit union ..... don't you think they will count every penny?
Wiggington may even get a special escort to his car that day!
Good riddance.
To anonymous: That was a great explanation. All CUMIS has to do is prove that the theft of $1 million was both undetected and somehow caused by CUMIS. And so agree, finally good riddance to the the most useless and abusive president Priority One ever had.
Wiggington used to say people wanted him out because they were jealous of him. He is too stupid and self-deluded to realize that people who cared about the credit union couldn't stand his ruination of it or his abuses and his childish behaviors which injured Priority One's reputation. There will be a lot of celebration the day he's shown the door. Hopefully the cranially deficient Diedra Harris-Brooks, Cornelia Simmons, Rodger Smock Smock, Yvonne Boutte, Robert West, Esmeralda Sandoval, Gema Pleitez and Alex Suarez will be escorted out the door on the day he's finally banished.
I agree, great explanation. I and a lot of people in the industry don't understand the reason why the board kept him and we don't understand why members didn't seek removal of the board particularly Diedra who is as responsible for the damages caused this once good company. HE should be removed. There is no excuse why this credit union has had so many internal thefts and he still stays in power.
ps: I have believed for a long time that Wiggington and others have been siphoning money out of the credit union. What they've needed that they've never gotten is an in depth audit that goes deep and reviews the credit union's records for the last 7 years. I bet they're going to find huge discrepancies and major violations of their reporting practices.
When I worked there, Wiggington would have us change how expenses were reported. Its been reported on this blog that when the board went to Las Vegas, Diedra spent more than the $100 a day allowance given to her for meals on her in the casino bar. She probably didn't attend classes which was the only reason she and the board were sent to Las Vegas. At time, Jennifer Kelly told us that we needed to back out anything above the $100 spent by Diedra in a single day and report it another day, that way it wouldn't look like she abused her allowance but the fact is, she did abuse her allowance and Wiggington lied in reporting her expenses.
We also had a problem with Bea Walker's spending. The woman would charge things using the credit union VISA and at other times, her own personal credit cards. She would often tear off the name of the company where the charges were made. Wiggington (and when he was absent, Rodger Smock) would approve all her charges eve if what she did was against policy. No other company would have honored her request but Wiggington and Rodger are dishonest and liars.
I don't know if its even possible to perform an indepth audit of the credit union's records but if they do, the deeper they search, the more they'll find. When Mr Harris was president none of this happened or could have happened because he was intolerant of corruption. Maybe if he had seen all the dirt Wiggington did when he was VP, he might have ordered him fired and the credit union would not have lost a single branch.
Is there anything this clown (Wiggington) won't do? When I worked there, Wiggington, Rodger, Bea, Cindy, Yvonne, Alex, Aaron, Lynnette, Esmeralda and Robert made up lies that they used to get people fired. You have to work at the credit union to really get to know just what a horrible group these people really are. You just can't imagine what they'll do or won't do, to cling to the little power they have at what is a really unimpressive credit union with nothing unique to offer members. No one reading this blog should be surprised at what has happened to the credit union. You can't be a liar, thief, manipulator and law breaker and expect your business to succeed or your reputation to shine. Wiggington has surrounded himself with people who mirror his corruption and dishonesty. When you see employees fleeing the place, members closing accounts, branches disappearing, and a change of focus from service and building relationships to desperate attempts to clinch sales, then you know this is the environment Wiggington created. I hope he's happy with his fleet of junker BMW's, the hovel he lives in, with a wife who he says drinks too much, a son who got arrested selling meth,, and his cancer. Hopefully, before he leaves, an investigation will be conducted that proves he did manipulate accounting. Hopefully if it is ever proven to be true, he'll be ordered to pay back any misappropriated funds.
Years ago he tried to get Yuling to play with the real estate reporting. When she disagreed, he had her written up by Rodger. Rodger will always go along with anything no matter how illegal or unethical. He's the town whore.
Priority one is filled with Liars. For years bragged about his bmw's but it turned out they're all used looking Junkers. He used to brag that the black one was appraised at $100,000. If you look at it you'd think it might be worth $500. Maybe. His million dollar home is located in a gang infested neighborhood. And the place is about 900 square feet, Two years ago Smiock changed his resume and added that he studied marketing at Cinncinatti U back in 1812. He never studied marketing. These people are liars and still, there the ones that enforce policy while breaking the law.
Well this all explains Wiggington's bad mood. Couldn't happen yo a nicer guy.
Wiggington should have been fired in 2007, right after he refused to check the envelopes that went out with member account and social security numbers printed on the outside and when it was discovered he knowingly promoted a branch manager who had been kiting and writing bad checks for years, to the post of AVP. As if that wasn't enough, he and the queen of morons, Diedra Harris Brooks decide to borrow $20 from the credit union's line of credit to make net income look high. Net income which had been at $172 million when he was named president dropped by millions of dollars by mid-2008. Someone should go back an audit 2007 through mid-2008. Wiggington said it dropped because of the real estate market, unemployment and the WORLD economy but he's a little excuse factory and nothing he says should ever be believed.
You can add to that his playing with financial which is the reason why Manny left. They ought to subpoena Manny to testify about how Wiggington and Beatrice tried to exaggerate profits and reduce losses on paper.
They also should subpoena Beatrice Walker who was his accomplice until they turned on each other.
And for a good laugh, subpoena Rodger Smock who was the temporary CEO when Wiggington was suspended while being investigated for sexual harassment. You'll find out how little Rodger knows and I'm sure jurors will scratch their heads and ask, "What the hell!"
He should be fired for buying that shack he lives in from his sister.
Finally there's going to be a public court record. Guess they can't settle this for a few thousand dollars, huh Wiggles?
You're right, no more bragging that he settled a lawsuit for such a small amount that it had no effect on the credit union. The fact its going to court has to bother Wiggington. It means his methods are going to be analyzed and if his testimony doesn't jar with that of the CFO, COO, Accounting Department and others, then a jury could perceive it as they're lying which of course most people expect them to do because Wiggington has made lying just another business tool. I too hope what they are finally comes to the open. Enough of the casualties he and Diedra and Rodger have caused. If an audit is ever conducted by the feds, I'm certain they're going to discover that monies were stolen from other areas which one would hope would send Wiggington away for awhile. I don't think anyone wishes the sleaze ball anything good.
In 2007, his first year, Wiggington didn't resolve the problem with the accounts for all members who had come to priority one following the merger with Inland Counties Credit Union. Because of that, lots of new members closed their accounts.
3 months later, his pride and joy, Liz Campos gets exposed of bouncing 24 checks in Oct/Nov 2006. Even though she had all those bounced checks, he promoted her to AVP and by April 2007 she was fired when it was discovered she had been kiting.
In April 2007, he refuses to follow security protocols and causes envelopes to go out to members with their social and account numbers printed on the outside of the envelope just above the name and address field.
By August 2007, he got approval from Diedra and spent $600,000 on a phone system that never worked properly. He picked the system without conferring with anyone.
That was all in 2007 and each year after that he caused more and more problems. I hope he finally gets shown the door though if I was members I demand to see his contract because he should not get a severance package or bonus.
It was sad the day he became president. With exception of a handful of people, most employees were sure Charles was going to ruin Priority 1. I remember when some of us were called to the conference room to meet with Charles and Smock. Charles handed out a diagram showing his new corporate structure. It was stupid. This was a medium sized credit union but the paper was covered with this complicated diagram showing him on top and from their Rodger and the AVPs and under them every supervisor, and assistant supervisor. He took marketing and placed it under Aaron who was the worst director of lending imaginable. He also promoted Aaron to Assistant AVP of operations even though he had no experience in anything related to operations. He also promoted Sylvia and gave her the territory which was Santa Clarita and the San Fernando Valley and he promoted her to AVP even though like Aaron, there were so many complaints that Sylvia was abusive.
A year later, Aaron gets fired because he's not doing his job and using his South Pasadena office to meet with his customers from his second job at Century 21.
5 years later, its discovered that for years, Sylvia had lied about her production. It turns out, she wasn't really bringing in new business. All the new business she bragged about was brought in by her staff who she was so mean with. The credit union was getting ready to fire her because of the policy which said that employees would get fired if they failed to meet their sales quotas for 2 months in a row. Sylvia leaves scared on medical leave. This is the way Charles Wiggington does business and how could anyone expect that the stupidest president in credit union land would be capable of surrounding himself with capable, ethical people. That's why he's got horrible and lazy Rodger Smock at his side and dishonest and abusive, Yvonne Boutte, as a VP. He's got backstabbing Patti Loiacano and hypocrite, Robert West, and two-faced manipulator, Esmeralda Sandoval. Its always been that way under him. He used to have Liz the Kiter, Aaron the con artist, and Sylvia the slanderer. Its just what Wiggington surrounds himself with, the dredges of society. Its disgusting and I like a lot of other people look forward to him going to court and answering questions how he and all his overpaid executives could not detect a single theft allegedly committed by Lynnette Fortson from 2010-2012 and how even before she walked out with $1 million, how under him other robberies took place. And CUMIS should answer why they are so stupid to pay everyone of Priority 1's claims. Sounds like they're being run by the same low caliber managers that you find at Priority 1.
I'd forgotten about his first year. It was the worst. The credit union went downhill so fast. Members saw it too, complaining about how bad service got and how Wiggington never returned their calls or responded to their letters. He used to come to our department and ask our supervisor to ask one of us to call back members who called and asked to speak to him. He is such a horrible president that he couldn't understand that if a member calls him with a problem, its because they're probably not able to resolve their issue though other channels but instead of manning up, he passed off his responsibilities to the rest of use. Good thing is the board thought that his lazy, useless ass was worth the $150,000 they pay him.
He's knocked P1 to 3 branches so you'd think he'd now be able to call back people, but he still doesn't. When he became president he said that he setup the AVP's so they could do the work but they all failed and in the past 7 years, he did absolutely nothing. Thats why business is so bad and that's why he is frantic to make sure net capital stays well above 6%. He knows better than anyone that what he does is all smoke and mirrors but that this is one credit union's he's destroyed with the help of the horrible, ignorant and uneducated board and people like Rodger Smock and Robert West who have the combined cranial capacity of an ant.
When Charles Wiggington woke up that hot summer morning he had no idea a group of angry females he sexually harassed over the years were planning to tar and feather him later that afternoon. So Wiggy went about his normal breakfast routine. First he opened a fresh loaf of Wonder Bread and then he heated up a big pot of leftover beef gravy (made from real meat drippings). Once heated he began feverishly sopping and slurping an entire bowl of the warm brown gravy -- making sure the whole process was accomplished with his mouth wide open so his long suffering family could see his extensive dental work. When Wiggy had his fill of the gravy, he smacked his lips, scratched his itchy balls, burped and then farted loudly to let his beleaguered wife know he was finished.
Before heading to South Pasadena he spent a full hour checking out his house (dilapidated shack) and valuable collection of vehicles (worthless junkers) that looked as if they all were rejects from a Destruction Derby. On the way to P1 Wiggy called his Uncle, hoping they could make plans to rendezvous at their favorite restaurant -- Fat Burger -- for lunch. Little did Wiggy know about the "tar and feathering party" that awaited him before the sun went down.
Actually he drove to work in a BMW he repossessed from a member. At the time he stole the vehicle, he and the owner of credit resolutions drew up fake documentation to make it look like the car was sent to auction though it was not.
@Humble Harv
The Tar and Feathering Party - will it occur before or after Wiggy makes a jackass out of himself testifying in court?
@ Humble Harv: I think you covered it all.
Oops!
I inadvertently revealed too much information. I promised not to tell about Wiggys ball scratching and farting routine.
I think his scratching and other horrible habits are common knowledge.
I'm not on the side of the credit union but I hope they've hired speech teachers who will show them how to enunciate property so they at least sound a little intelligent and maybe, like' they've graduated from elementary school. Diedra, Cornelia, Yvonne and Wiggington speak like they were raised in the ghetto.
Harv, You neglected to mention Wiggy is a low class spiteful backstabber. All of his evil will surely result in terrible karma landing smack dab in the middle of his lap.
Two weeks ago Wigg was saying business is improving. Really? Why no raises for 4 years, no bonuses, and no Christmas parties. He needs to permanently shut his big mouth. Oh, and long time loan officer, Georgina Duenas, resigned. Turns out she got tired of no raises and ni future at this loser credit union.
Two weeks ago Wigg was saying business is improving. Really? Why no raises for 4 years, no bonuses, and no Christmas parties. He needs to permanently shut his big mouth. Oh, and long time loan officer, Georgina Duenas, resigned. Turns out she got tired of no raises and ni future at this loser credit union.
He and Robert West are trying to save the credit unions reputation thru lies. These two morons hope people will look past Wiggingtons entire history and hope people will believe the credit Union is growing and doing well. They can't even afford setvucing all of Riverside county, all of the Santa Clarita valley and most of the San Fernando valley or post offices in the city of los Angeles.
Does anyone else think that Wiggington isn't mentally sound? What kind of a man stands around saying business is great when all the evidence proves its not. The problem with Wiggington is he's surrounded himself with "yes" men. They probably know he's nuts but they patronize him so they can keep jobs they couldn't get anywhere else. Can you picture Rodger Smock or Robert West or even Yvonnne Boutte having an executive title at any other company?
Georgina is leaving? She took so much advantage of the credit union and violated so many policies while Aaron was her supervisor, She used to meet him at his house at lunch while his wife was at work and he let her get away with so much. Wiggington didn't care for her but she really was a perfect fit in his organization. She will be forgotten soon enough.
@ Humble Harv: it's funny because it's true
I'd love to tar and feather Wiggington, just before he enters the courtroom to testify.
If a tar and feathered Wiggy showed up Ito testify in court CUMIS would be certain to lose their case because the Judge would quickly realize Wiggy is too incompetent to develop a proper security plan if he can't even protect himself.
Actually, he can't defend himself. This man is a sissy. I remember 2 different times when angry members showed up at the main branch. These members demanded to speak to him and he ran and hid and waited until the members left.
The board should be ashamed for keeping Wiggington employed. I blame Diedra who leads the directors around like they're her dogs. She is ultimately responsible for allowing him to break the law which means she is as big a culprit in all the unethical and illegal things he's done. Mr Harris and his staff worked so hard to build the credit union up and the respect the credit union once had was because of the ethical conduct of its former president.
Georgina is leaving. Good riddance. One of the most awful people I ever met and had the misfortune of working with. Like Charles Wiggington, she is a liar and slanderer. I heard the last few years didn't go so well for her. She thought she was going to be named supervisor but Cindy chose Sonia instead (another chronic liar). Hopefully her employer will enforce policy for Mrs. Duenas.
If iit wasn't for Miss Smock breaking policy, Georgina would have been fired a long time ago along with Gema Pleitez. For years the two had their subordinates clock them in when they were late from lunch, they broke banking policies, they abused break and lunch policy and they refused to work delegating their responsibilities to others. Charles wasn't fond of her but he's a worse law breaker than she is. He's probably happy because her departure means the elimination of a senior staff member who gets paid more than new employees and the CU will pay out less benefits. I hope her new employer enforces policy because she's one you have to keep an eye on.
You're so right, Smock made a joke of human resources. He let who ever he and Wiggington liked break policy but if you doc fit their
Lowlife club you get written up or fired. I can't stand Smock just like most employees who see him for what he is.
I'm certain that Wiggington's effort to keep the door open by divesting of things they think they don't need all to retain high capital is going to reach its ceiling sometime in the very near future and they're going to have to close another branch or sell or close all of the remaining branches. Wiggington has ruined the credit union and the method that he has established to keep business going only prolongs the credit union's eventual demise. Of course if he resigns, which he won't, that could provide a slim chance for saving the business but you'd have to gut the company of its current profit zappers like Yvonne, Rodger, and probably replace the entire HR department. You'd also have to rid the organization of the entire board and supervisory committee otherwise the same losing cycle will continue.
A few years ago, our department got fed up with Georgina so we went to Rodger Smock and told him that she took daily breaks which exceeded 30 minutes each and her lunches averaged 90 to 120 minutes. He told her about the complaint but took no corrective actions. She came out to the loan department and told us she didn't care what anyone had to say about her and that she was continuing doing what she always did. She continued breaking policy but neither Rodger or Wiggington did anything about it. She and Patti Loiacano harassed one of the girls that they thought started the complaints until the employee was driven out of the credit union.
When Georgina went on vacation, I was asked to sit at her desk while she was away. Inside one of her drawers were a stack of unprocessed loan applications that had been faxed to the office but never processed. Some were as old as 6 month. I took them to Patti Loiacano but old useless took them. I never knew if she gave them to someone to process or if she shredded them. Patti is another one who covers up wrong doing. Actually she's very 2 faced and a vicious gossiper. Years ago Wiggington demoted her because he said she didn't know how to talk to people (look who's talking). He was right but over the years and only because she knows consumer lending, she got promoted and he can't do without her. The little business they get is in great part because she has the knowledge. Too bad you can't separate her knowledge from her know-it-all obnoxious, condescending attitude.
Let me throw some praise Wiggy's way since no one else will.
Wiggington is a terrific liar. Just Terriffic. I mean seriously talented. Let me list just a few of his lies.
He lies to the Board of Directors at each monthly meeting.
He claims not to be backstabber.
Wiggy says he has a valuable collection of prized autos.
Wiggy says all women are attracted to his animal magnetism.
If you readers want to add more of Wiggy's lies to the I encourage you to do so.
@Tommy Truth Teller
Tommy, You neglected to mention Wiggy states he never sexually harassed any female employees or P1 members (Patrice).
Let our Committee remind all you haters that President Charles Wiggington is a terriffic CEO. His governance of Priority One continues in providing improved service to all members. He is loyal to staff and they are loyal to him. This has resulted in a high level of morale for employees and members alike.
As a courageous steward of P1's legacy President Wiggington made the tough, but necessary decision to close unprofitable branches in order to assure Priority One has a high Net Worth Capital ratio; this ratio currently stands at 8.8% according to the most recent NCUA FPR Call Report.
Accordingly, all readers of this blog must congratulate our CEO for keeping Capital strong.
CORRECTION
COMMITTEE FOR FORNICATION
Let our Committee remind all of you haters that President Wiggington is a terrifying CEO. His governance continues in bludgeoning serve to all members. He is loyal to staff in the same way that the KKK is loyal to Blacks. This has resulted in a high level of immorality and chaos to all employees and members, alike.
As a courageous pervert of P1. President made thee tough but necessary decision to close profitable branches that became unprofitable when he became president, in order to assure Priority One has high net worth capital since the credit union is not making sales from their emaciated portfolio of boring financial products. As long as there are branches, the credit union can close these to ensure net capital remains above 6%.
Accordingly, all readers of this blog need to visit their local supermarket and purchase large amounts of tomatoes, onions, cottage cheese, and eggs. They should also purchase tar and feathers as we will be scheduling a day in which to pelt the president, preferably in a public place.
Thank you, the Committee of Fornication.
When Wiggington was accused of sexual harassment, he said the employee made him do it. The employee was in her 20's and he was about 50 years old. Didn't he have the will power to say "no"? Diedra echoed his excuse when she accused the employee of joking with the president and even encouraging his sexualized remarks. So Diedra was also saying that the president had no will power to stop himself from acting in a way that was both a violation of policy and illegal. Either that or Diedra is used to men telling her that they want to whip her big fat old ass.
"Let our committee remind all you haters." I know the person(s) who published this refer to themselves as a "committee" but the only person at Priority One who has ever referred to Wiggington's opponents as "haters" is Robert West. He first said it at the all staff meeting in 2010 and he has said it often since then. Coincidence? I doubt it. West is that you? Why don't just enter your name? Remember, you've tried so hard to convince us that you are holy and righteous though those of who have gotten to know you over the years, don't see you as pristine. You're just as dirty as your master, Wiggington. So next time you post comments like you do all too often, use your real name. Dumbass.
Haters, Don't waste your time or energy attempting to guess the Committee For Vindication's membership.
Quit trying to goad us with childish guessing games Your futile efforts will yield zero results in a quixotic quest to name names.
As the Bible says "mind your own business, lest ye be judged by satan."
REWRITE
The Committee of Retardation
Haters, how dare you guess who I am. How dare you, I say.
Quit trying to goad, oops that's a word I commonly use under my real name, Robert West. Please ignore the man behind the curtain. Your efforts are yielding accurate results and like President Sexual Harasser, we are on a quixotic quest and ready to fight a windmill we believe is a dragon. OMG, we're delusional like President Car Stealer. Yikes!
As the Bible says, oops, now you know my real identity, "You'll know them ["us"] by their works." Oops again.
Committee, here's a suggestion. Change your name to "Legion" it more appropriate.
Well few people are Igor ant of Robert west's devises.
Well few people are Igor ant of Robert west's devises.
I've been following this blog for a long time and I've worked for Wiggington and with West in the past. The two "brothers" are the absolute worst and they're both unbelievably lazy and always looking for someone to do their work. I remember someone threatening the bloggers by writing that they knew who the bloggers were and that unlike the blogger, they would still have a job long after the bloggers were fired. Coincidentally, I attended too many meetings with Wiggington during which he always felt a need to proclaim, "They want to get me out, but I'm still here." I also read a comment written by O. Glen Saffold a few years ago in which he wrote and I'm paraphrasing, "We know who you are, so do your job." Its amazing that one of the dumbest most useless and laziest board directors and postal clerks would feel he was in a position to threaten and demand that others work. And you always know when Robert West makes a comment because his style of writing is always tainted by an self-righteousness and a better than thou attitude. I got to know Robert and aside from being lazy and immensely hypocritical, he is also a coward of no small means. These are the kind of men (an I use this for lack of a better word as none of the three are actual men) that germinates in the petri dish called Priority One Credit Union.
Responses to the Committee of Vindication:
Don't you think its hypocritical of you to call anyone a "hater" when your message to those who find Charles Wiggington abhorrent and stupid is laced with hate.
And you evidently didn't notice that you are wasting your time and energy defending a man who in lawsuits that were all settled by the credit union and those currently awaiting trial, is described as a liar and law breaker.
And its clear that some people know who you are, so don't get so defensive as it makes you look even more guilty.
And if you're going to try to manipulate people with Biblical scripture then why not familiarize yourself with Jesus' statement that before pointing to the speck in your brother's eye, pull the plank out of your eye.
And I went back and read some of your committee's past comments and there is a defensiveness that suggests that maybe you are in fact Robert West. Please confirm this by responding again. Remember, sometimes the lady protest too much.
To all Haters and Losers
Pleased be assured the formidable Mr. Robert West is NOT a member of our Committee, although we would gladly welcome such an esteemed hardworking, God-fearing individual.
From here on out we demand you cease and desist in your attempts to ferret out our Committee's membership, as we have sworn a blood oath of secrecy to never reveal our identities. Omertà !
Insulting President Wiggington is absolutely insane. We cannot believe that you haters persist in calling out our CEO for being lazy and a good-for-nothing liar. Nothing could be further from the truth! From personal experience we know Charles Wiggington to be a high-energy leader who exemplifies the pinnacle of integrity.
The committee responds so quickly that I am now convinced Mr. West is a member of their hate saturated committee. The fact that they describe the lazy opportunist as hard working is enough proof.
So Mr West, why are you hiding behind the name of Committee for Vindication. Come out of the closet and show us how courageous you are and defend your man, Wiggington. Stop hiding behind stupid names. And if you view the truth as insulting then by all means stay insulted. Who cares. Dumbass. Now that gay marriage is legalized why don't you two go and tie the knot.
Does anyone remember the day Robert West stood up in front of all employees and red Biblical scripture? Talk about manipulation 101. After he defended his honey, the President, Wiggington ran up, put his arms around Robert's neck and pressed his lips to his ears and whispered something. It was creepy and strange but I think Robert who seems to lack the acceptance of a male figure, really liked the attention the sexual harasser gave him.
Anyway, the committee only refers to high capital as their solitary proof of President Wiggington's amazing accomplishment. Weak. Provide some proof of the many things Wiggington has done to make Priority One a better more successful credit union and include an explanation why he closed 6 branches, why net income dropped by more than $20 million, why marketing has decayed and why the credit union's reputation is shit in all the communities it supposedly serves.
And include a list of tangibly evidenced accomplishments and contributions made by Robert West.
PS And explain why if the accusations made against Wiggington are unfounded lies fabricated by haters, why the credit union settled every lawsuit filed by former employees and why they paid out money to a member who accused them of violating the privacy act and why Wiggington wrote a letter to the member as part of the settlement agreement. Seems like the committee or Robert West are/is nothing more than another Internet troll but they could get the upper hand by presenting their evidence. So come on, bring on the evidence.
@Anonymous
You want evidence of President Wiggington's accomplishments, in addition to the strong Net Worth Capital Ratio. Well here are two other superior ratios that illustrate the outstanding job our CEO is doing:
1. The Delinquency Ratio stands at 0.47% as of March 2015; this Ratio is well below the peer group Ratio of 0.77%. The lower the Delinquency Ratio the better it is.
2. The Net Charge-off Ratio is extraordinarily low at 0.05%. Again, this is well below the peer group's ratio.
Now that you have the evidence you requested all you haters are obligated to shut-up! Once and for all. Also, you owe the Committee a sincere apology, too.
Let us now address your rank speculation about Robert West being a member of the Committee. These continued cheap-shot accusations are flat-out wrong. While we would definitely welcome West, he is not a Committee member. In the name of Jesus, West is as good a man as God ever created. PTL!
No stupid, I mean committee, everyone wants the evidence.
Evidently your knowledge about the factors that govern a credit union's success is quite limited. The reduced delinquencies do not reflect Priority One's, actually President Wiggington's continued annual failure to generate financial growth. You should know this but seem to be trying to pass off the credit union's reduced delinquencies as evidence that Priority One is not only thriving but making a return to success. Nothing could be further from the truth and you who assert yourselves or self as his supporter hopes people will focus on reduced delinquencies and ignore account closures, a chronic failure to increase membership which since 2007, has dropped by more than 2500 members and has not been replenished. Branch closures and an inability to service most of the communities served is yet more evidence of failure but you, a poser think that you can save the president's horrible public reputation by focusing only on delinquencies. Boy or Robert West or whatever you are, you're a troll and obviously delusional to believe you have the ability to divert people's attentions from all of the evidence that shows this is a credit union in decline because of the stupidity of a ghetto, unpolished and crass president who was handed a 9 branch credit union with a sterling reputation and ruined it because of ego, laziness, ignorance and an unbridled need to break rules and laws. Now why don't you take your deficient excuses and storytelling and go back to your office and consider just how stupid you are to post lies hoping people will buy into your load of crap.
In as far as Robert West is concerned, he is a problem at priority one and no small hypocrite who has supported Wiggington through his chronic violations of policies and laws so why don't your take you own advice and shut-up, moron(s).
John, delete this person(s) posts because all he/she does is disrupt this blog.
John, Please do not delete or block comments made by the Committe For Vindication. As a believer in the 2nd Amendment I know free speech is an integral part of the Constitution. Let the Committee of Morons say what they please. Besides I eagerly await the over-the-top postings of the Committee. Their unbridled support of incompetent Wiggy is embarrassing.
I agree with the Chief though I understand why someone would get fed up with their inane ramblings. As for delinquencies, under Wiggington the credit union was forced to eliminate most real estate loan funding and now only funds HELOC's. As you know, a HELOC requires collateral. Priority One is also now known as a place where it is difficult to get a loan. If you don't believe it, visit the post offices and speak to postal employees who will tell you that Wiggington has implemented so many eligibility requirements that it is close to impossible, at times, to qualify for a loan. The drop in charge-offs is the result of less loan funding. If you look at their 5500 report, you'll also see that they no longer have the amount of money needed to cover loan losses. That's because they can't afford to fund loans even though back in 2009, Robert West said, "Loans are the business of the credit union." Not anymore because Priority One is a credit union on a strict budget. If the accounting department staff weren't afraid of being fired, they'd tell you that Priority One doesn't have enough money to pay its bills. The reality is, Wiggington has reduced budgets so that net capital remains high but this means that the credit union doesn't pay its bills on time. The committee gave it the old college try but whoever they or he or eve she is, they're very ignorant about the credit union's actual financial state. Priority One is not only a credit union that struggles to get new business, the hundreds of thousands of dollars spent over the past 4 years on lawyers is hurting this once good organization. Wiggington is an idiot, a moron, and a law breaker. He should have been fired a long time ago but the ignorant and uneducated directors have used their little power to make sure he remains in power. I don't know what they're thinking except that maybe they're hope the credit union will fold. If that's their plan, then congratulations, they're doing a fine job.
And I forgot, if you want to know where the hype about delinquencies comes from, its coming from the lips of Yvonne Boutte and Alex Suarez. These two horrible women who have been poison for the credit union like to boast that under their leadership, delinquencies have declined. Its not their leadership that resulted in reduced delinquencies, its the other factors I described in my previous comment. Remember, Yvonne was part of the 2009-2010 Bea Walker coup to remove Wiggington. When that back fired, she turned against her former benefactor, Bea Walker. In 2011, Cindy Garvin got hired and Yvonne was furious because she thought she would get Bea's former position. She pretended to be Cindy's friend and ran to Wiggington at every opportunity she had to tell him how horrible Cindy was performing. In 2012, it was Yvonne who thought she could bully a member who accused Credit Resolutions of publishing information about her auto loan and person on the Internet. Stupid Yvonne tried to dictate to the member but the member who was a law student filed a lawsuit and Priority One settled it within 4 months because they knew that if the member complained to the Feds that they could be hit with huge fines.
Alex Suarez is Yvonne's not-so-pretty or intelligent dog, so she does everything she's told to do. They're pathetic but they'll always tell you how great they are. Wrong!!!
The committee of vindication used the FPR for the quarter ending 3/31/15. They're obviously omitting information so they can convince people that Charles Wiggington who has been the only president at the credit union to be accused of misappropriating spending, sexual harassment, and stealing a member's car, is actually a great president. He's not.
If you go to the FPR they used you're going to notice that on the quarter ending on March 31, 2015, they earned $108,572 which was the lowest earnings since the quarter ending March 31, 2014.
They also forgot to mention that their earnings are 39.9% less than what they should be. That is a huge underage.
Their operating expenses are in the negative (11%). That means that they are spending more money on overhead than what they are bringing in new business.
Their loan income and investment income are also in the negative because they aren't making enough money.
The committee's agenda is to use only one factor of several, to try and dupe readers. This is a credit union that is doing poorly. Net Capital is satisfactory but it has come at a cost which compromised service, business development, marketing, advertising and employee morale. What's more, this organization is top heavy. There was a time when HR only had Mr. Smock who oversaw 9 branches and many more employees. In 2015, they have 3 branches and 50 full-time employees and some part-time employees. So why does a small, insignificant credit union need 3 full-time executives in HR? This is another example of how Wiggington and the Board misappropriate credit union funds. No wonder this credit union can't get out of the hole Wiggington kicked them into.
Yes, the so-called Committee of Vindication possibly Robert West or Rodger Smock is using only partial information from the credit union's report to misrepresent Wiggington's performance. They're "WHITE WASHING" his failures by pointing to high capital and reduced delinquencies which is nothing more than smoke and mirrors. I looked at the report and there are so many negative percentages scattered across various columns. I suspect the committee is writing on behalf of the president. In 7 years not one person has defended Wiggington. All of a sudden a so-called committee starts posting and they are using the exact same manipulative style that Charles Wiggington has used when lying to members, industry peers and employees. Recently, he told employees that business is experiencing a resurgence but there is still a wage freeze, no knew branches are being opened and their own FPR shows that there overhead is sky high which is only happening because they're not producing high enough profits to pay their own bills.
I so agree, the committee which should renamed themselves The Committee of Misinformation are probably posting at Wiggington's request. When net income was falling he said it was the national economy and unemployment rate. When the economy was improving but business wasn't growing, he blamed the housing industry. When the problems he created got out of control, he hired Bea Walker but when she couldn't fix the problems he created all by himself, he convinced Diedra and the board that the problem was Bea so they fired her. He hired Cindy who supposedly had lots of knowledge about loan funding and marketing but he and Rodger also used her to target employees they said were out to destroy the credit union. When she couldn't fix all the destruction he created, they fired her too. I would bet money that the so-called committee is his idea and the only two things the committee can point too as proof of his success are high capital which comes from closing branches, eliminating services, and reducing budgets; and low delinquencies which actually are the result of reduced funding, the elimination of real estate loan types and according to their own report, a lot less members. He is a horrible, incompetent and ignorant president and an embarrassment. And if he truly a wonder like the so-called committee would like people to believe then why was the credit union never accused of violations of federal laws or sued in the more than 65 years before Charles Wiggington became President? If you believe anything Wiggington and his committee have to say then you're either ignorant or naive. These people are con artists and liars just like Wiggington, Rodger, West, Esmeralda, Yvonne and Alex. These people have made lying a way of life and like others have pointed out in past comments, these have become business tools at Priority One, tools that no self-respecting credit union would ever want in their arsenal.
Priority 1 is managed by evil egotists but by executives who would be considered grossly incompetent in any other business. Wiggington is stupid. There is no other way to describe a man to on the day he became president, started spending credit union money like it was his own and bought a crap phone system that has caused tens of thousands of dollars to maintain.
He also chose to forgo security which resulted in the mailing of ballots in envelopes on whose exterior were printed member social security and account numbers. He also refused to do a proper background check when he hired Bea Walker because if he had, he would have discovered she'd been fired by Universal Studios CU and she caused losses while employed by AIRCO. It is also under his watch that a married couple made off with over a $100,000 when the credit union didn't close their HELOC checking account on the day the term expired. It was also under his watch that a former receptionist made off with more than $60,000 and why a former AVP walked out of the CU's vault with more than $1,000,000 in cash.
Rodger Smock is also probably the most useless executive you'll find at any credit union. Hell, at any business. He was fired from Superior Industries where he worked in HR and he came over to P1 where he brought all of his alleged expertise, the same expertise that got him fired at Superior Industry. He is the reason why opportunities occurred that let several former employees sue P1. If he ad followed policy and laws it would have been very difficult for any of the former employees to sue, but not so with Rodger Smock who is more concerned with eating candies at his desk, cutting coupons, and talking to his boyfriend/wife/husband on the phone.
Robert West, P1's allegedly religious director of employee services is probably more insidious than losers Wiggington and Smock because he pretends to be righteous but upholds the evil committed by Wiggington and labels anyone who disagrees with the president's dishonesty, "haters." He was also a horrible and ignorant trainer. Awful and sooooooo boring. He also shows preferential treatment to BLACK men, not Black women and certainly not to members of any other race or ethnicity. His issues at work are probably due in great part to the issues involving his father. Ask him about it. I'm sure it explains why he craves Wiggington's acceptance.
Esmeralda Sandoval, the employee services manager is as horrible as West. She is a racist, in the past talking about Whites in the most disparaging way. She's a chola, an uneducated, over-weight, compromising and dishonest chola who shacks up with her boyfriend in Little Rock, CA. One of the few things Bea Walker was correct about is when she described Esmeralda as not presentable and as not someone she wanted to represent HR. Of course, when it comes to any of Bea's judgments, look whose talking.
What every company needs is a Rodger Smock who was fired in the past from an HR department, a Black director, West, who shows preference to Black males, and a manager, Esmeralda, who is dislikes Whites though one has to wonder how she has been able to work with and for Rodger Smock for all these years. What a wonderful credit union and what a wonderful reflection of Charles Wiggington.
The link to the FPR is http://fpr.ncua.gov.
Choose I want to view a 2-page FPR summary for one credit union online.
Next, select Report Cycle for the quarter ending on 3/31/15
Under CHARTER NUMBER, enter 60024 (that's P1's charter #)
Press the Financial Summary button
You'll notice that Wiggington, West and the Committee of Vindication are selection SOME of the data that supports their contentions but notice all the other data they are intentionally ignoring because the actuaries speak to failure. Its clear P1 isn't making enough business to address its expenses.
A couple of years ago, Saeid told us to hold on to the bills for at least 3 weeks then he said a month and later, 2 months. It was such a pain because we have work to do and the company added more work by having us talk to angry vendors demanding payments. Not a good example for a business that says it helps people get financially fit. Saeid only did what Wiggington told him to do and Wiggington did what Diedra told him to do.
It never ceases to amaze how year after year, disgraceful, sick Charles Wiggington tries his same old crap to pass off his fantasies as facts. I've often said that the man is seriously ill and I mean mentally. No sane person does the things this loser does. He has spent so many years lying that he believes his own shit. Its both shocking and sickening. I don't know who this loser is using the name the Committee of Vindication, but nothing screams Wiggington like the "committee's" stories and manipulation of the credit union's FPR. To the committee or Robert West, why don't you channel your energies into something constructive like finding a state asylum where you can check Wiggington into so that he stops harming credit unions and people.
PS: If you want to see how Wiggington affects business and lives, look at:
The long line of people he slandered and fired
1.His meth peddling son
2.At his poor miserable wife who according to Wiggington, drinks too much
3.The credit union's overhead
4.His hiring and firing Bea Walker
5.His hiring and firing Cindy Garvin
6.His hiring and firing Saeid Raad
7.His driving out of CFO, Manny Gaitmaitan
8.His destruction of the once award winning marketing department
9.His obtainment of a charter to do business in South Pasadena, a city that refuses to do business with Priority One
10.How he severed the great relationship the credit union once enjoyed with postal employees
11.How the credit union can no longer afford to participate in weekly chamber luncheons or community events
12.How the credit union no longer attends the L.A. Chapter meetings
13.How the credit union can't afford to contribute free services to the communities it serves
14. How they can't even afford to send representatives to Riverside County and the Santa Clarita Valley
And these are just some of the few things Wiggington has ruined.
Actually those are the things "the committee" or whoever he or she is, are intentionally hoping people will forget or ignore. The proof is in Wiggington's filthy pudding.
@ Committee at Vindication
You wrote, "Let us now address your rank speculation about Robert West being a member of the Committee. These continued cheap-shot accusations are flat-out wrong. While we would definitely welcome West, he is not a Committee member. In the name of Jesus, West is as good a man as God ever created. PTL!"
I could care less about your defense of Wiggington. Most of have read the lawsuits, Diedra's 2010 letter to Kim, his lies about Alan, the more than $20 million drop in net income since he became president, etc, but you should be extremely careful because as the Word clearly says, "We to those who call evil good" an you're using the name of the Lord
in a way that is offensive and shows no respect for the Savior of this world.
You should not refer to the Lord so lightly and with such disrespect. You clearly show the same disdain towards Jesus that Wiggington shows towards people and the resources he inherited from his predecessor.
Its one thing to knowingly and willingly play the stupid and immoral card and another to offensively make reference to the Lord in your comments.
Like I wrote previously, the 'committee of lies' is either West or someone working with Wiggington to try to refute evidence with lies.
Wigging ton used to say he was going to continue Mr harris' tradition of an open door policy and a month lAter prohibited all employees from coming to his office.. The man breaks prom is like he breaks laws.
You're right, Wiggington did announced back in January 2007 that he was going to continue Mr. Harris' open door policy but a month later, Rodger issued a notice prohibiting all employee from visiting Wiggington at his office.
A couple of years later, he and Bea Walker taped hand-written signs on each of the 2 doors that lead to the wing where his office is located. The signs read, "Employees not allowed beyond this point."
The man breaks his own promises because he's a liar. He's the worst and most stupid president any credit union could ever had and he's not only alienated himself from the people who actually do the work for little pay, but he has alienated himself from members, vendors, and the communities once served by the credit union.
He used to brag about his BA from Cal State Northridge, boasting that unlike his staff, he was educated. Funny, but he never mentioned what he got his BA in. We all found out when one of his old resumes was published on this blog. Now there's no shame that he majored in Afro-American Studies but evidently he wasn't proud of his major. Wonder why?
If you've listened to one of his public addresses or witnessed his business decisions, or have been forced to endure one of his many personal scandals that have rocked Priority One, you would have noticed that Wiggington never makes the impression that he has a BA. His vocabulary is limited and his use of urban slang are atrocious. He must have been accepted at Northridge under some Affirmative program. A problem with Wiggington is he talks to people like they're all patrons at some South Central L.A. Fat Burgers.
Rodger's weakness. Wiggington and young Latino boys.
Is there anyone left at the credit union that remembers when Wiggington said he was going to setup an employee suggestion box in the lounge room because he really wanted to know what employees thought and then never set it up? A couple of years later, he, Smock and Bea Walker started retaliating against anyone who made suggestions. As Wiggington said, "I don't need troublemakers." If that's true, then why didn't he fire himself?
On this joyous anniversary of our nation's birth the Committee for Vindication wishes President Charles Wiggington a most happy Fourth of July.
We hope you had a wonderful holiday with your many friends and loving family.
Thank you again for maintaining P1's strong Net Capital Ratio.
Well, it's true, the immoral committee of vindication aka the village idiots and West's Liars can't help playing the stupid card. Yes Wiggles, a lot of us hope you spent the holiday worried about whether you and your lowlife confederates will be able to pull off a ship full of lies that will help you escape losing your lawsuit. You should know whether you win or lose, finally and at long last your dirty dealings will finally be recorded in a court record. And do something about all the negatives I've the FPR because they scream failure!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bares repeating...
Look ... I don't see Wiggington lasting 12 months.
Some points & issues to clarify. CUMIS (the insurance & bonding company) paid the claim for dishonesty... that's the insurance they provide. For paying the claim, the CU gives the bonding company the 'right of subrogation' .... this means it gives the insurance company the right to go after the individual(s) that were responsible for the loss.
By extension, the insurance company is trying to minimize its losses by looking at other potential sources for getting their money back. Assuming the responsible person(s) do not have $1,000,000 anymore they will simultaneously look elsewhere.
So, they are looking for 'Big Pockets'....one of which is TWHC CPA firm. The Board & Wiggington were pointing their fingers at TWHC for not discovering the defalcation and the 'embezzler'for dishonesty.
In reality they should being pointing at themselves in the mirror. They are the problem.
It's going to get real messy when public filings start coming through.
In addition, it is very possible that Wiggington will then be placed on CUMIS' "BLACK LIST" of non-insurable risks. Each employee or official of a federally insured financial institution has to be "bondable". Wiggington's record will become more public and other policyholders (credit unions) will see the risk that the insurance company is continuing to insure.....they are the ones paying Wiggington's claims.... they will want that to cease.
Wiggington will get the dreaded letter & phone call in the next year, for sure & he's gone. A week or two before official notification to Wiggy, the Feds and State Examiners will all converge on the credit union ..... don't you think they will count every penny?
Wiggington may even get a special escort to his car that day!
Good riddance.
June 24, 2015 at 2:41 PM
Wiggles:
Since the committee brought it up, I wonder what you spend July 4th thinking about? While you were sitting in the backyard of your old dilapidated house on Kent Street with a beer clutched tightly in your grubby dirty hand, did you think about the years you spent sexually harassing Kim and how lucky you were that dishonest, over-the-hill, Diedra, covered up your lies with her own lies so you wouldn't get fired.
Or did you think about how pissed you still are that old those documents got published on this blog that proved you stole Danny Wafa's car.
Maybe you thought about how lucky you were Bea Walker failed to unseat you, though you have to admit, she came so close. I remember the days when she let Yvonne and Joseph know that she was going to also fire Rodger Smock and Robert West. I know Rodger told you that when he attended Susan's deposition that she told your lawyer how Bea had told her and other managers that Rodger was lazy, stupid, ignorant, overpaid and unnecessary and that she was going to force him to retire. Wonder what fat boy felt like when he heard what Bea had been telling her staff back in 2009 and 2010?
And remember how in December 2009, Bea convinced the stupid hick board that you shouldn't be allowed to attend that month's all staff meeting because she didn't want you to interfere with her plans to jump start business and because she needed you out of the way so she could fix all the problems you created.
Or did you spend the day remembering how you lied to the Valencia branch manager and promised her that her salary would only be cut by a little bit if she accepted the assistant branch manager position in Burbank but it turned out that the little bit you said would be reduced was actually a 20% to 25% cut. When she called and emailed you, you not only refused to respond to her but you told Rodger Smock, "Why do people never understand what I say? Do I have to tape record all my conversations?" Now you know you would never tape record anything because it would prove you a liar.
And how about when you convinced Diedra Harris Brooks, the board's biggest ass, that if she approved hiring Cindy Garvin, all of the credit union's problems would be resolved but 17 months after hiring her, you fired Cindy because she just couldn't fix you mess. Plus like Bea Walker, she started complaining about how stupid you and the board are. Tsk, tsk.
And remember how you let all those envelopes go out with member account and social security numbers printed on the outside? Of course you remember. I heard you tell Smock that you were worried because the board told you they wanted the person responsible fired on the spot but you didn't tell them you caused the security breach because that would of meant you would have been fired. Thank goodness you blamed Alan. He was your perfect scapegoat wasn't he, Mr. Coward Ass?
And how about when you told Bea, Rodger, West, and the Board that you knew that there were employees who were going to try and kill you with a gun? Remember how you took credit union money to install more than 10 new cameras in the branch and then you used credit union money again to have your office swept for bugs but not only did no one ever try to kill you, but there were no bugs in your office.
Now its no secret you suffer from delusions of grandeur. I remember sitting in your office with Rodger, Manny and Dane while you bragged about how smart you are and how much more educated you are than anyone else. A lot of people who have worked for you for any lenght of time know you're a compulsive liar. You just don't have the strength of character to tell the truth. Poor, poor morally confused Wiggles. I know you're neurotic but are you also psychotic? I sincerely hope you had a wonderful 4th of July, loser.
Wiggington probably remembered his 8 week suspension when the detective found out about that Xmas party at Charlie's Trio, where he sat with about 12 employees and in a loud voice told Kim, "Get over here, I'm gonna spank that ass" and "You know you need a good whippin" (no "g" at the end). Seems that a lot of employees told the detective the same story about that embarrassing night so that the detective later referred to it as "The Xmas party incident." Oh that Wigg. He's definitely no man and he's definitely not smart and give him the usual 5 glasses of Chivas Regal that he always ordered before he was diagnosed with cancer, and he proceeds to grows a pair before you're very eyes and begins to try to be the life of any party but in the end is just an obnoxious old, classless man. But what he doesn't see is how embarrassing he is and how inappropriate are his behaviors. I so agree, he suffers from delusions of grandeur and I agree, he must of spent the 4th remembering just how stupid he really is.
Nice to see how the only people supporting. Wiggles are a committee of liars and misfits
Nice to see that Wigs only supporter us a liar and like him, a social pariah.
Wiggington once was pointing to his old black BMW and told us it had been appraised at $100,000 because of the phone that is installed in the car. The phone is the size of a size 15 sneaker and the car couldn't possibly be worth more than $1000. He also told us about his $1 million house and his priceless collections that fill the place. First of all, if he had priceless collections he'd be crazy to keep them in that dump. I went to his house on one occasion and was shocked by the interior which is not filled with antique furniture but with old, cheap furniture. There weren't any collections of anything and if I remember correctly the "shack" only has 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom and is about 900 square ft in size. Its small and at the time, he lived there with his wife, son and daughter. Everyone who writes about his big mouth is right. This is a guy who lies. He couldn't tell the truth if it walked up to him, gave him a well deserved punch in the nose and then pushed him down a flight of stairs.
Yesterday's Forth of July was the 279th anniversary of the founding of the United Srafes of America. In order to salute our wonderful President Charles Wiggington the Committee for Vindication is compililing a list of 279 stellar traits and notable accomplishments that P1's CEO exemplifies & achieved. We hope to publish this extensive list NLT year-end. Stay tuned!
CORRECTED COMMENT FROM THE "COMMITTEE OF VINDICATION"
Yesterday's 4th of July was the 279th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. of America. In order to salute our gross and dishonest President, Charles Robber Wiggington, Sr., the Committee of Perpetual Stupidity ("CPS") is compiling a list of 279 of President Wiggington's most heinous and often illegal acts proving that he is not a generic sexual harasser and car thief or liar and slanderer, but that will prove the depths of depravity that this dredge has thrust the credit union into. We will publish our report towards the end of the year, as compiling his failures, illegal acts and a few anecdotes about his family is an immense project though much easier to produce than it is to reverse the widespread injuries he caused the credit union. Please stay tuned.
We must sign-off as our nurse has just informed us she must return us to our straight jackets. Thank you.
To Anonymous the writer of the "Corrected Comments":
The Committee For Vindication (CFV) members do NOT appreciate your faux "Corrections." It's extremely insulting to us. In fact, it's really starting to get under our skin. Please stop making fun of the Committee. It's demeaning to everyone reading this blog. Enough of your sophomoric low-grade mockery. We don't want our comments to be aped. And we don't want you to yank our chains any longer.
Our Committee is sincere in our praise of Charles Wiggington Sr., yet you continuously mock our good faith posts. Have you no respect for honest free speech? Have you no decency? If you disagree with the CFV keep it to yourself and leave us alone.
If you persist we will consider litigation.
John, Please block these fake CFV blog comments, as they detract from honest posters. Fake commenters diminish your blog's integrity. Thank You.
Response to Robert West’s Committee For Vindication
How did you get out of your straight jacket(s)?
Committee: “The Committee For Vindication (CFV) members do NOT appreciate your faux "Corrections."
Response: Why are you writing in the third person? Oh, and who cares whether you appreciate or don’t appreciate reactions to your imbecilic statements.
Committee: “It's extremely insulting to us. In fact, it's really starting to get under our skin.”
Response: It’s meant to be insulting. By the way, what color did you say your skin is?
Committee: Please stop making fun of the Committee. It's demeaning to everyone reading this blog. Enough of your sophomoric low-grade mockery. We don't want our comments to be aped. And we don't want you to yank our chains any longer.”
Response: Actually, its only demeaning to you. Even you have to admit you’re the biggest idiot(s) to hit this blog since Charles Wiggington posted his comments a year or two ago. Come on, just admit it. And don’t be so offended about your comments being “aped” when so far your praises of the President have been nothing less than chimpanzee-esque. I apologize in advance to all primates.
Committee: “Our Committee is sincere in our praise of Charles Wiggington Sr., yet you continuously mock our good faith posts. Have you no respect for honest free speech?”
Response: Its probably above your ability to comprehend anything, but the replies to your inane posts also constitute honest free speech, so get over yourself, hypocrite(s).
Committee: “Have you no decency? If you disagree with the CFV keep it to yourself and leave us alone. If you persist we will consider litigation.”
Response: Are you referring to the same decency Charles Wiggington, the sexual harasser, attributes to himself? And go ahead, consider litigation. You can sue right after President Wiggington’s trial has concluded.
Committee: “John, Please block these fake CFV blog comments, as they detract from honest posters. Fake commenters diminish your blog's integrity. Thank You.”
Response: Of course our comments are not going to be removed. I thought you believed in free speech, idiot(s).
On July 5th, the committee wrote, "We don't want our comments to be aped" and "John, Please block these fake CFV blog comments, as they detract from honest posters. Fake commenters diminish your blog's integrity" yet on July 2nd, another reader wrote, "John, delete this person(s) posts because all he/she does is disrupt this blog." Sounds like the committee was aping another poster. Hypocrites, wouldn't you say?
Everyone just ignore the really stupid comments posted by the person or persons calling him/her/themselves the committee for vindication. They're just a very ignorant troll.
Wiggington's failures are well recorded in P1's balance sheets, fpr's, the NCUA's and DFI's 2010-2014 orders he reduce expenses which included that he close branches. There are also the many lawsuits filed against the credit union.
None of this includes the letter sent to attorney William Adler which accused Wiggington of sexual harassment or the documented record of evidence compiled by an investigator that proved Wiggington did indeed violate federal law when he victimized an employee with his unwanted sexual comments. There is more than enough evidence proving Wiggington is a failure as president and law and policy breaker.
You can add his own comments made over the past several years to some employees in the South Pasadena office which disparaged his sister, wife and son. This is a deplorable person who has no concept of right and wrong.
Wiggington's feathers are being unruffled because he believes the attorneys for TWHC are reading the blog and might even be verifying past security breaches. Guess he should be concerned. All those things really happened.
I have full caoanfidence that Charles Pinnichio Wiggington will provide testimonies that are completely untrue. He may not be a smart liar but he is a liar. And if I know Charlie and believe me, I do, he'll sacrifice anyone he can to escape being blamed for the more than $1 million that were stolen. He will have no problem saying that it was the Supervisory Committee that dropped the ball, after all they're volunteers. What can you really do to them? He will blame Bea and Cindy who oversaw operations and probably say that's why they got fired. Of course hel might have to explain why Bea got a severance package. Now he will never mention that when $60,000 were embezzled from the L.A. Branch in early 2009, Ridger Smock was responsible for all operations.
@Committee For Vindication (CFV)
CFV members (I'm talking directly to you Robert West) are you forgetting your scriptures? The 13 Scroll clearly states that the mocking of gorillas and chimps is unholy. Your outlandish arguments are compromised when your feeble defense of Charles Baboon Wiggington breaches primate protocols.
I'm not monkeying around here. I demand you leave apes out of any future commentary.
Maybe they referred to "ape" because they're simians. Have you seen Diedra and Cornelia?
So agree with Dr. Zaius.
Robert West, now there's a piece of work. He's actually quite cowardly. Years ago we had one of our common tremors that caused the main office to roll over so slightly. Robert who had been taking copies of a document turned and ran, his heavy feet pounding on the carpeted floor and taking what he thought, was safety under a doorway. What Mr. Fearful didn't consider is that the door that he stood next to is entirely made of glass. He also stood in the doorway located over the bridge which stretches over the parking lot. If the quake had been stronger, he could have suffered injury from glass chards or even worse, the bridge could have collapsed which would have injured him seriously. That was the first time I realized that under stress he literally loses it. He also never took a thought of the several employees who were standing near the copier. Their well-being meant little but then again this is a cowardly man who is Wiggington's favorite tool.
Thank you Dr. Zaius for reminding the Committee to see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil, unless they refer to Wiggy as a monkey's uncle. Your comments are much appreciated.
Is lot of us think Wiggington has gone Bananas.
Is Wiggy's Uncle a monkey?
Yes he is. That's where Wiggington gets his looks.
Ok, let me see if I got this. Charles is a monkey. Yvonne is a Big Foot. Smock is.Yeti. West is Erkle. Well no wonder they can't lead the credit union.
Normally, I would view some of the comments about Charles as very cruel but having spent many a day in his office with other staff, I was forced to listen to him talk about employees, describing some as "trouble", "liars", "gossips", "drug addicts", and "ugly". Several times I wondered how he could accuse others of being everything he is. Part of the reason he's so obnoxious, stupid and cruel is because people like Smock and Robert West continually tell him that everything he does and says is great and fine and okay. Unfortunately, for Priority One's worst and ugliest president, he really can't see that he has always fallen far below even the worst employees.
I concur with Dr. Zaius. There is way too much monkey business going on at Priority One.
Does anyone know why Georgina left earlier than planned?
Maybe they asked her to leave early. It's not like P1 is drowning in loan applications.
Wiggington has been a little moody lately. I know he's worried about testifying. He's managed to escape the bullet, actually bullets, for years but in a court of law, Diedra and the board can't cover-up for him. Those little not-so-secretive meetings with Smock and Yvonne make him look like he's concerned and well he should be. He's going to have to really rehearse his lies. This is probably going to have to be an Academy Award winning performance if he's going to get over a judge or jury. Break a leg, Wiggles.
But Charles has never been a good actor as proven by the fact that all his lies are eventually exposed. He used to say he lived in a million plus house and then everyone discovered he lives in a run down tiny house located in a dangerous neighborhood.
He used to say he had a fleet of collectible BMW's but it turns out they're all used and they look it and none are collectibles.
He used to say business was going to grow because he knows what members want and need. After closing 6 offices looks like he doesn't have any idea what members want.
He used to brag about how many women he bedded and he'd make up stories about members that he claimed to have slept with. That all stopped when he got accused of sexual harassment and it turns out that the plain-faced president maybe isn't quite the womanizer he wanted everyone to believe he was (problem for him was no one believed it).
If he plans to give a convincing but fictitious testimony that convinces the court that all safeguards were in place when Lynnette supposedly walked out with more than $1 million he better give a performance that puts Meryl Streep to shame. Hope the lawyers hire an acting coach otherwise he's going to come of like the liar that he is and has always been.
I'm not sure Wiggington is a good enough ACTRESS to pull it off.
Maybe Wiggington can get some acting lessons from Miss Smock. No one can play the martyr and victim like conniving old back stabber, Miss Smock.
Georgina Duenas should have been canned years ago but she was protected by Aaron Cavazos, the old loan director, Patti Loiacano, and Rodger Smock. Truly horrible people and she was the worst example of an employee that you’d ever want. Actually, she, Aaron, Patti and Rodger are the types of people you’d never want to hire. They broke policies because Rodger allowed it.
When I worked in the loan department, Georgina would run to Aaron and tell him who she didn’t like and he started a campaign to harass the employees. She didn’t do her work was right. A whole big stack of unprocessed loan applications were found in her desk when she went on vacation. She also got her buddy, Gema Pleitez, in trouble when Gema removed a hold on a check Georgina deposited from her account at another bank. The check was later bounced which meant she kited but Rodger and Aaron covered for her and saved her from being fired though they fired other employees for doing the exact same thing.
Patti used to cover up for Aaron and help him harass employees until he turned against her. These people don’t sincerely like one another, nor should they. Now she’s horrible but she hides it or at least tries to, behind that homespun façade. Patti was told that Aaron allowed the DMV Specialist and a temp employee to forge member signatures on a large stack of power of attorney forms that had not been signed by members due to loan processor oversight. She not only refused to stop the forgeries but she said there was nothing she could do because the order came from her boss.
Besides Wiggington who is the biggest violator of policy at Priority One, Rodger has bent over backwards to make sure that certain employees are exempt from credit union policy. If you wonder why the credit union has been sued by so many ex-employees, you can blame Rodger for allowing the circumstances to exist that resulted in lawsuits. If you wonder why the credit union has so many employee morale issues you can add Robert West and Esmeralda Sandoval. Wiggington and Diedra are 100% responsible for al the thefts that have hit the credit union since Charles became president and he can’t blame that on the economy, real estate market, or unemployment.
The only silver lining in this whole thing is that even if Wiggington were to lose his job (as he should), he still managed to sack P1 for more than $150,000 plus bonuses staring in 2007 through the present He's got one or two pensions and social security so that in the end he destroyed a credit union but left with his pockets full.
Too bad Wiggington's acts can't be punished with a hanging or branding or at the very least, shooting him out of a cannon pointed at a brick wall.
I still can't believe that wiggington ruined this credit union. I don't understand how someone who inherited so much could ruin it because of pride, malice, and a need to control people. He is one of the worst and stupidest presidents I've ever heard or read about.
Its not that hard to believe if you knew him before he was made president. He got hired in 1992 a VP of operations but he was absolutely the most ignorant, laziest, yappy vice president's imaginable. He never shut his big mouth and he talked about the most stupid things like sex, sex, sex. It was like listening to the same song play over and over and over again. I noticed that his online resume says he's been president since 1992. That is another of Wiggington's big lies. He was named president in 2007 not 1992. If he can't remember when he got promoted then how can be expected to know how to run a credit union. For a man who didn't like Mr Harris, I find it strange that he's trying to take credit for Mr Harris's accomplishments from 1992-2006.
For several days now the Committee has maintained radio silence in the hopes that someone on this blog would come to the defense of our President Charles Wiggington. But it appears haters continue to hate in spite of all the improvements Priority One has shown over the past several years. As we have pointed out the Net Capital Ratio remains strong, as do the Delinquency and Net Charge-off Ratios. The Board of Directors, in there infinite wisdom, is more than satisfied with the direction Priority One is going, so we cannot understand why readers of this blog continue to bash our CEO.
As far as the upcoming trial, Charles Wiggington will shine when he testifies in court because he wears the Armor of Rightiousness, the Breastplate of Truth and the Bell of Integrity.
Is that you Simona Hollins?
The only way wiggington is going to shine if that oil he puts on his bald head drips down to his face.
To the board:
Are you confused? A few weeks ago you wrote that the supervisors might be partially responsible for the thefts of money and now you write the board is happy with the direction the credit union is takIng.. There you have it folks,, the dizzy committee admits the board approved the more than $20 million losses of net income and closure of 6 branches.. Thank you committee.. Finally.
The committee is brain dead and living in Wigg's La La land.
@ Committee For Vindication said...
Committee: "For several days now the Committee has maintained radio silence in the hopes that someone on this blog would come to the defense of our President Charles Wiggington."
Reply: I guess a lot of us were wrong. We thought you had been hospitalized to undergo psychiatric evaluation.
Committee: "But it appears haters continue to hate in spite of all the improvements Priority One has shown over the past several years."
Reply: "It "appears". So do these "haters" only appear to you or can other people see them too?
Committee: "As we have pointed out the Net Capital Ratio remains strong, as do the Delinquency and Net Charge-off Ratios."
Reply: Is that all you can point to? Please at least provide an explanation substantiated by evidence that explains why net income has dropped by more than $20 million since Frau Wiggington was named president and why under his elite leadership, 6 of 9 branches have been closed?
Committee: "The Board of Directors, in there infinite wisdom, is more than satisfied with the direction Priority One is going, so we cannot understand why readers of this blog continue to bash our CEO."
Reply: Well, you just shot your argument in the face, figuratively speaking of course. If you had the intelligence of an amoeba, you would first and foremost know that the board, actually Diedra Harris Brooks is devoid of wisdom and of course she and the board are satisfied with the downward direction the credit union is head in and has been headed in for the past 8 years, because these yokels couldn't tell up from down; or a hole in the ground from their A-holes. Ever spend anytime with any of them, jackass?
Committee: "As far as the upcoming trial, Charles Wiggington will shine when he testifies in court because he wears the Armor of Rightiousness, the Breastplate of Truth and the Bell of Integrity. Anonymous Committee For Vindication said..."
Reply: Well Simona, I mean Robert West, I mean committee, Charles will only shine if you dip him in shellec before the trial, otherwise your "boy" will come off as his usual intellectually challenged and crass self. Hopefully, his lawyer will advise him to gargle before he leaves his home and to refrain from scratching his scrotum during questioning.
And your allusion to Biblical references denotes just how evil and disrespectful you are to things which should be off limits in your inane and incessant insistence that the man who caused the credit union to fall is anything but the biggest loser in all of credit union land.
Another person is leaving the loan department. That's two employees gone in the past month. If you want more proof that people are fed up with no pay increases or future, look at how many people have quit since Wiggington took over.
I never thought of Simona as a person who could be masquerading themselves as "the committee" but I guess, anything is possible. I personally think its Robert West but why would West or any other officer feel a need to defend a sexual harasser, employee abuser and car stealer like Charles Wiggington or defend the board. And you're right, the so called committee clearly is not defending the supervisory committee. If they are so confident that Charles Wiggington is going to provide a shining testimony while in court, then he or she better wake up because he is joined at the hip with the supervisory committee and board. So if the supervisory committee is at fault, so is Priority One's worst president ever.
Looking at the committee's remarks, it seems they react each time someone posts a negative comment about Wiggington and Robert West.
The so-called committee is intentionally focusing on delinquencies which based on the 5500 report are the by-product of less loan funding and more stringent eligibility requirements.
The committee is also keeping its distance from the financials which prove that loan funding is so insufficient it is failing to offset outgoing expenses or overhead.
Also, the remaining branches in South Pasadena, Los Angeles, and Van Nuys are failing to attract high levels of member interest in which is Priority One's meager product offerings.
The branches are not reversing the years of damage caused by Charles Wiggington. Its like Priority One has incurable cancer.
I have no idea if Simona is the person posting as the committee but according to online sources, she is the owner/principle of SH Account Services @ 5313 W. 99th St, #204, Los Angeles, Ca 90045 and has worked there since 1998. The yearly revenue is approximately $44,000 and consists of 1 employee who is of course, Simona Hollins.
She also worked at Skyline FCU from 12/04 to 01/14 though her LinkedIn page says she worked there through 2013.
She was also the Director of Accounting at the Los Angeles Food Bank in 2013 and less than 1 year according to her LinkedIn page.
I hope she hasn't fallen prey to Wiggington's cheap manipulations. Back in 2009, immediately after she was hired, Bea Walker was ordered by Wiggington and Diedra Harris-Brooks to give a speech during the all staff meeting that would denounce and vilify the president's critics. Standing at the dais, she pretended to whimper, and said that unnamed employees had spread rumors that she embezzled money while employed by Toyota FCU. She said she had two executives from that CU that were ready to speak to employees and answer any questions that would exonerate the former Call Center Manager of all wrong doing. Problem with Bea's story is that she never produced the executives. Another problem is, there were no rumors ever started that accused her of stealing money at Toyota. The theft she referred to had been committed by one of her employees. Ms. Walker's only indiscretion appears to have been her failure to adhere to security protocols which gave the employee the opportunity to rob the credit union. Sound familiar? Yes, like Charles Wiggington, Ms. Walker seems to also have suffered with an inability to enforce security policy and like Charles Wiggington, her failure resulted in the loss of more than $60,000. Ms. Walker later admitted that she had been "forced" to perpetrate the deception by Wiggington and Harris Brooks. Lets hope the remaining officers are not as stupid as was Ms. Walker or as easily pliable lest they get themselves in the same kind of trouble which befell Ms. Walker.
OMG, I'd forgotten about that meeting. Boy, was Bea in need of acting lessons. She sniffled like she was crying but there were no tears. She did lie. She said employees were spreading rumors that she stole money from her last job but no employee heard that she had been stealing money until she brought it up. She also said there were 2 executives from Toyota waiting to answer questions that employees had about Ms. Walker but the 2 executives never appeared. She also said she met Wiggington in August 2009 when she answered an ad for a job. Turns out the two had known each other for years and were introduced by an executive at Toyota.
Several of us were struggling to stay awake during the meeting. Between listening to Wiggington bore us with his usual assurances that business was great; Rodger Smock acting like he was everybody's gay uncle; and Robert West playing his repertoire of boring 1960's Motown hits, the meeting was a snooze fest until Bea got up and woke us up with her lies, fake tears and horrible acting. That was P1's management then and seems its P1's management today. Nice way to progress.
The president must be the stupidest man on the planet if all his dirt comes into the open.
Following up on my comments of June 24, 2015 at 2:41 PM.
The questions raised by the author in the blog re: what really happened to the $1 million and why can't they be more precise?
Those and other questions raised are excellent ones.
This whole situation was a continuing cavalcade of errors & mismanagement.
First of all, management / CFO / Accounting Department did not assure that all branches' case accounts were "tied out" & reconciled DAILY!!!
If that were the case, there would be no outage & it would be located on DAY NO. 1 ... not two-three years later.
Secondly, the CU did not provide for surprise cash counts of the main office or branch offices. Cash counts require the Priority CU staff member counting the cash to account for and reconcile ALL the cash in the branch to the Accounting Department's records.... Obviously not done.
So, the Credit Union & Management failed on the first line of defense ....month after month after month.
The CPA Firm: This was a secondary failure. In the Contract Engagement entered into between the Credit Union & the CPA Firm, I am sure there was no clause that required the CPA to audit each branch & conduct simultaneous Cash Counts to reconcile to the penny to the Accounting Department records.
If there was, then the CPA firm may have failed.
Even if there wasn't such an agreement, it would have been a reasonable expectation that the CPA would find something wrong. Under the "Doctrine of Materiality" a $1 million different is NOT INSIGNIFICANT & should have been reported by the CPA firm.
So, the CPA firm has some culpability ... but they are only there a few days a year.
It is management that must bear the principal responsibility as they are day after day after day .... and they did not institute the proper controls to minimize loss.
If I am the insurer .... I would seek a change in management via not agreeing to provide bond coverage to key executives .....i.e. the "Death Knell" to Wiggington.
Look "through the eyes of the bond holder / insurer (CUMIS). Do they really want to insure such inattentive management? They may refulse to provide a bond.
Ahhhhhhh ... to be federally insured ALL Credit Union must have a bond in force.... CUMIS has a virtual monopoly in the Credit Union Bond Market ..... CUMIS can force Wiggington & others out in a minute .... my opinion: they will let the legal process and try to squeeze as much as they can out of the CPA (& their insurance company) and then move on to have Wiggington removed .... that's the strategy I would employ.
Some thing take time ..... Wiggy: The clock is ticking !
Believe us, in the name of all that is Righteous, brothers, when we say Simona and West are NOT members of the Committee. Verily, we would welcome them with open arms should they whisper to us they want to join in faith, fellowship and utmost admiration of Charles Wiggington.
Let us not forget the Apostles, Scrolls and the Book of Revelation all state the decaying foundation of the church (Priority One) will be saved from haters and extinction by a humble man riding a White Horse (BMW). That humble man can only be Charles Wiggington, as told in the 13th Prophecy.
In the end, CUMIS will win their case against TWHC. And President Wiggington will be exonerated of all these false charges. Absolution!
@ Anonymous: Thank you for another excellent explanation of the various aspects regarding the $1 million cash theft from the Los Angeles branch.
@ Committee for Vindication: You realize your continual and almost immediate reactions make a lot of us think that you are West and/or Simona, don't you. BTW, I'm sure I'm not the only person who thinks you're in dire need of some serious psychological counseling.
I agree 100%. If West or Simona or Smock or Diedra are not members of the Committee For Vindication (CFV) then I suggest it must be Wiggington himself. Besides it's impossible to believe anyone but Wiggy could pile up this much phony praise on a verified sexual harasser. In any event, whoever is on the CFV they are in desperate need of a straitjacket, after receiving a proper tar and feathering.
@Anonymous: Right on.
@Anonymous:
Your wrote, “First of all, management / CFO / Accounting Department did not assure that all branches' case accounts were "tied out" & reconciled DAILY!!!”
The theft of $1 million was discovered in February 2013 and a few months later, CFO, Saeid Raad, was terminated. I think his termination was a reaction by the Board and Wiggington. Both the board and Wiggington are never smart enough to manage the credit union in a way that cold avoid internal failures like thefts but they are reactionary and often find a scapegoat who they can blame which in this case, avoids punishing the president, the accounting department and the vice president of operations.
You also wrote, “Secondly, the CU did not provide for surprise cash counts of the main office or branch offices. Cash counts require the Priority CU staff member counting the cash to account for and reconcile ALL the cash in the branch to the Accounting Department's records.... Obviously not done.”
You are correct, again. Before Charles Wiggington was appointed president, surprise cash counts were performed and never since 1926, did any employee walk out with money from the vault. In 2007 the credit union hired a highly competent gentleman to be the Branch Manager of the Valencia office. He was hired to replace Charles Wiggington’s then close friend and chronic supporter, Sylvia Perez, who had been promoted to the post of AVP. The new branch manager immediately discovered that Mrs. Perez never taught her staff how to count vault and ATM cash. Where the procedure requires the counting of every bill, the staff in Valencia would count packaged bundles. The staff also did not perform double custody when counting vault and ATM cash. When the new branch manager advised his staff that they were not following proper banking procedures, Lillian and Neelam complained to Mrs. Perez and she complained to Rodger Smock and President Wiggington that her former staff were being mistreated. The two compiled fraudulent allegations against the manager who was promptly fired for allegedly violating credit union policy. Even when it is verified that the credit union is not adhering to state-mandated banking procedures, the president and some of his staff react defensively and take whatever action is needed to vilify people who discover that the credit union is not performing in adherence to laws and policies.
You also wrote, “The CPA Firm: This was a secondary failure. In the Contract Engagement entered into between the Credit Union & the CPA Firm, I am sure there was no clause that required the CPA to audit each branch & conduct simultaneous Cash Counts to reconcile to the penny to the Accounting Department records…..So, the CPA firm has some culpability ... but they are only there a few days a year.”
Charles Wiggington always controls the files that are to be audited by external auditors contracted by the credit union. I don’t believe there was any inclusion in the agreement entered into by the credit union and TWHC that stipulated specifically that TWHC was to count vault cash at each of the credit union’s branch’s. If Charles controls what is to be audited and forbade the auditing firm to audit vault cash, then TWHC should not be held accountable for allegedly failing to count vault cash.
What the board, supervisory committee and president are doing is accusing of TWHC of failing to perform audits that were compliant to established auditing standards during those days when they visited credit union branch’s and divert attention to the many other months in 2010, 2011, and 2012, during which the credit union failed to carryout those steps used to safeguard credit union and member assets.
CUMIS could try and show they are proactive by no longer providing a bond to Priority One’s “key executives.” The number of thefts that have occurred as a result of mismanagement would justify providing a bond in the future. One can only hope that Wiggington will finally be shown the door.
Thanks for the highly informative post.
For years, I've had members call me and tell me how disgusted they are by Wiggington but not one is willing to take action like getting a petition together asking for his removal. Its really too bad because members can collect signatures demanding his removal and the removal of the directors.
A lot of members can't pass ChexSystems if they try and open accounts at another credit union. If you look at the language on signature cards signed by members when they open an account, priority one can periodically send an inquiry to ChexSystems. They don't do it, because they'd probably lose a lot of their membership. Let's face it, Priority One has never spent time under Charles Wiggington, teaching members how to be fiscally responsible.
If you were to request credit reports for the members of the board and supervisory committeee you'd also find that several of them have delinquent accounts. The reason why Diedra has chosen not to run credit reports is that she wants the board to remain unchanged. When any director submits a nomination to run for a seat on the board or supervisory committee, they are required to pass specific criteria that includes credit and chexsystem inquiries. They must be people whose character reflects their good standing. Not so at Priority One where some of the directors and supervisors cannot pass a credit check but where it is imperative to Diedra and Cornelia and even Wiggington that the status quo is preserved.
Please, oh please, show Charles and Diedra the door and make sure when it's slammed behind them that it hits them hard on their tar-feathered asses.
I never understood why TWHC entered into a business relationship with Priority One. They knew about Charles' reputation when they agreed to be the credit union's external auditor. I remember going to the board room and handing Terry Nabors (from TWHC) files, while Wiggington stood a few feet away, telling him how he purchased a white BMW just a few years earlier, from a dealership, but some vicious employees who were jealous of his position, had spread rumors that he repossessed the car from a member and transferred ownership to himself without ever paying any money for the car. He of course was lying to Terry who seemed annoyed, possibly because Wiggington was interrupting him while working.
A few weeks later, the papers proving Charles stole the car appeared on this blog and of course, a lot of us checked the former member's file on XP and discovered that not only had the car been repossessed but it was never sent to auction like all other repossessed automobiles. Now if it had been sent to auction and sold, the money would have been applied to member's outstanding loan balance but what we found was that the car was never sent to auction and no money ever credited to the account. The whole thing was a sham perpetrated by Wiggington and Credit Resolutions who was an outside contractor at the time.
Charles is a thief and liar but the theft of $1 million in 2010-2012 and the theft of $60,000 in 2009 were not the first thefts to occur at the credit union. Look at Wiggington's reporting practices and subpoena, Manny Gaitmaitan, the former CFO, and you'll find that Senor Wiggington likes to twist reporting. Diedra has allowed him to get away with so many unethical and criminal acts. Useless Diedra Harris Brooks and the supervisory committee who were too lazy and useless to carryout their responsibilities and decided that once a year they would rely on whatever reports were provided to them by the outside auditors and by Charles Wiggington.
If you want to test how competent the directors and supervisors are, then during the trial hand them financial reports and ask them to explain what the information in each line and under each column means. You'll discover that the directors and supervisors know zilch about their responsibilities.
The directors and supervisors are ignorant. Not to put down all postal workers, but these are ex-carriers and clerks. Aside from Diedra whose bio says she took some unspecified computer classes, none of them is particularly intelligent and none could ever be a paid board member at any bank. You have to meet them to see just how unsavvy they all are. Since Charles became president, they rely on him to explain to them what the financial reports mean. This means that the board who is supposed to supervise him needs him to explain the state of finances. This is such an embarrassing group. The first annual meeting I attended was a shocker. There was this group of all black directors and supervisors standing around gossiping and being silly and not acting like one would think officers should act. They all spoke in slang which segregated them from the non-black attendees. Before they started, one of the directors started with a Christian prayer the hypocrisy of which didn't escape me. The pinnacle of arrogance and two-faced comportment. For 3 years, it was always the same format with the same empty promises that business was about to improve and each year, we closed branches, we saw cut-backs and almost all employees have been the victims of a 5 year wage freeze.
If anyone is interested and they don't care about their employer's reputation, Priority One's "career" page (really?) shows they have an open position for a Financial Service Representative II at the Los Angeles Branch and a Lead Teller post in South Pasadena. If you don't mind less than $15 an hour then go an apply.
Its so obvious that the Committee of Vindication is Robert West and is getting help from possibly his sista, Simona.
Back in January 2010, we sat in the banquet room in Almansor Court and listened while Robert scolded all employees by reading the Bible which he held in his grubby little hands. I'm surprised the book didn't explode into flames. He read from Romans 12:20, "If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads."
Most employees didn't understand what the verse meant and most thought his reading of the Bible during a business meeting was inappropriate and manipulative. The committee's last statement said, "Believe us, in the name of all that is Righteous, brothers, when we say Simona and West are NOT members of the Committee. VERIFY, we would welcome them with open arms should they whisper to us they want to join in FAITH, FELLOWSHIP, and utmost admiration of Charles Wiggington."
The committee or Robert or possibly even Simona go on to write, "Let us not forget the Apostles, Scrolls and the Book of Revelation all state the decaying foundation of the church (Priority One)...."
Besides being bizarre and stupid, the only person at Priority One that misuses scripture publicly is Robert West. They also use the word "Brothers" which is another word commonly used by Robert when speaking to other black men.
For years, he's proven to be a wet noodle with no ethics and willing to uphold his boss' abuses and illegal acts. Plus he's the only person at Priority One who has openly referred to the president's critics as "haters." Robert West's pudding suggests that he is posting using a pseudonym and despite the well documented evidence of his boss' abuses and failures, it seems Mr. West is almost hypnotically driven to protect the president. Robert West is to Wiggington what Renfield was to Dracula
The Sacred Scrolls foretell of a man clothed in the Gospel of Knowledge who one day will testify as to truth of a crime (the $1 million theft).
Can anyone doubt that man of peace is our President Charles Wiggington?
Ye who deny this Prophecy will eventually find themselves bowing before the throne of Satan for their blasphemy.
We love you Charles Wigginton for the good deeds you do every day. Amen!
.
I reread the Committee For Vindication's comment about "Believe us in the name of all that is Righteous, brothers, when we say.."
IMHO I gotta state I think the Committee is yanking everyone's chain with an an over-the-top inside joke on the Righteous Brothers singing group. And all these faux religious references are a bunch of gobbledygook desisigned to rile up the readers of this blog. West or Simona are just too dumb to pull off such a convoluted prank.
Wiggy, You're not my soul or inspiration. I'd like to unchain a melody right on your thick skull, you moron.
Creepy and disturbing. I agree, I smell West in the mix. And maybe Chuckie Wiggington. He once asked me if I thought the fictional movie character, the Candyman was based on a real character.
Yes Chuckie, Clive Barker's fictional horror movie character is based on a real person. After years of knowing Wiggington and reading what is written about him, I'm no longer surprised,I mean mortified, by his son's questions and the committee's message which is insane and sounds as convoluted as some of the things that come out of junior's mouth. And yes, I think the committee is pulling everyone's chain. Stupid.
@Righteous Brothers.
Exactly
Poor Chuckie. A chip of the OLD block. But daddy isn't that good to him. Remember when he got busted for selling meth? His daddy wouldn't get him an attorney so Chuckie had to rely on a public defender. Must be horrible be locked up in a 900+ house located in a terrible neighborhood and having to see Charles Wiggington every single day. I feel for the kid and wife.
Charlie's actions have always spoken louder than his words actually lies. I have to agree with people who believe there is something seriously wrong with him.. It doesn't take a medical professional to see there's more than a little wrong with Senior Wiggles.
I'd say the rats are jumping of the ship but it looks like its employees that are leaving because they're fed up with working for a company that doesn't provide a future or career development.
The only way Wiggington has kept the doors open is by cutting back spending. Have you seen their advertising? Have you seen their marketing? Before he became president, the marketing department won awards each year but that came to a halt immediately after he became president. They used to provide free financial education to the communities but that stopped on the day he became president. They used to buy promotional giveways that allowed the credit union to promote its name but since 2011, they can't afford them. They used provide food on payday Fridays to employees of all offices but that stopped under Wiggington. They no longer have an in-house financial planner or a business development team. They can't afford attending the Burbank Chapter lunches, VIA in Santa Clarita or monthly L.A. chapter meets at Luminarias in Monterey Park. This is a broke ass credit union that's been run into the ground by Charles R Wiggington. What they do spend money on is attorneys and settlements. And of course raises for the executive sector and December bonuses for the president, approved by Diedra.
Ain't that the truth.
Several years ago when Charles Wiggington announced the credit union would no longer provide food to employee's on payday Friday's, some of us decided to purchase food for the employees of the South Pasadena office where we worked. As a courtesy, we told Rodger Smock of what we intended to do. He smiled and said it was very nice but on the Friday when we brought the food, he complained to one of my co-workers that what we did was going to cause "a lot of trouble." Rodger, Priority One's biggest policy breaker and as useful as Wiggington, took a kindness and vilified it in a way that only he knows how to do. I later learned that it was Wiggington who told Rodger that what we did was going to cause problems though neither of these geniuses ever explained what trouble would be caused. What was funny is that on the day we provided the food, Wiggington sent his secretary to retrieve one of the bagels and muffins we had provided. Robert West who never does anything for any employee also took food back to his office and over weight Rodger picked up a muffin for himself.
Charles a moocher? Remember when the company supposedly provided food for all staff meetings (that's when they could afford them)? Charles used to get in line and load up his plate like he was preparing for a famine.
Maybe they shouldn't of eliminated food. Maybe they should of started by firing
Wiggington. Bet they would have had enough money to buy food and may be get some new branches.
You mention the names of some of the credit union's officers and suddenly the posting defending Herr Wiggington come to a halt. Coincidence?
No, not at all. Wiggington was telling some of the member services people that business is doing great. I guess my big question is why the wage freeze is still on and how come he's hiding the 2014 annual report? If things are as good as he says then give everyone a well-deserved raise and pass out the report.
Posters on this blog are dead wrong about labeling Wiggington as a moocher. Nothing could be further from the truth, brothers.
For years President Wiggington authorized free food for all staff on Payday Friday's solely out of the goodness of his heart, as a reward for a job well done. Then when P1's bottom-line began to suffer, certain expenses had to be cut in order to assure positive earnings. One of the easist belt tightening measures was to cut out free food Friday's. That decision was a no-brainier since it didn't harm member service. Now out of the blue, we have a bunch of spoiled cry babies who are upset because they no longer get a free meal. Wah-wah, wah! Give me a break! If you are honest with yourself the real mooches are the selfish staffers who constantly whine when they can't get a free lunch.
How about thinking of the credit union's well being once in a while, rather than selfishly stuffing your stomachs with free food? Be thankful for what you have, to quote the scared scriptures.
Only an idiot would think that a President who takes food from the mouths of his employees isn't a moocher. Sorry, Brotha, you is wrong!
Wiggington never authorized the buying of food for staff, that was Mr. Harris. You do realize that Mr. Harris and Charles Wiggington aren't the same person, don't you?
Wiggington's goodness is everyone else's evil. The man is so corrupt, so evil, so self-centered that he bad mouths his own sister, his wife and his son. Yeah, he sounds like an angel- a fallen angel except without the intelligence and power.
The credit union's bottom line suffered because Wiggington or as he's often referred to, "Old Stupid" didn't know shit about marketing or the marketplaces served by the credit union. Old Stupid thought that appointing overpaid and unqualified AVPs would be key to bringing in new business. He said, "They'll bring the business and I'll just sit back and watch" and as time proved, they didn't bring in the business because they were all moochers like Wiggington and West, they were all incompetent and they were all lazy.
And you're so smart that you admit that to reduce expenses, he eliminated free food. HOw much was the credit union spending on food, $1 million a month? He should have started by firing himself but Wiggington, I mean Old Stupid is not man enough to ever admit that he's an incompetent, immoral, lying sack of dog poop.
And funny that you mention "wah-wah" but I remember Wiggington sitting on La France Ave with his head down, wah-wahing because he was scared that Beatrice Walker was going to get him booted. His friend, I mean girlfriend, Robert West sat next to him and helped lick his wounds. Wah, wah, wah to a man who is an embarrassment, a moron and a failure and who has single-handedly embarrassed the credit union and ruined business.
Now why don't you take Wiggington and stuff him in your......
What is peculiar is that you hear absolutely nothing about Lynnette. While CUMIS and priority one are pointing fingers at TWHC and TWHC is pointing fingers at priority one, what is Lynnette doing? Back in 2011, she used to say that if the credit union ever harassed her she would sue them. Being accused of stealing more than $1 million if not true, is slanderous. And if they fired her for stealing versus mismanagement the resulted in the theft, then that too is defamation. The fact nothing is mentioned about her makes me think she hasn't taken any action against the credit union and if she hasn't, then it appears she probably did steal the money. So what's going on with Lynnette? Does she have an attorney?
They posted docs that show she filed for BK. Don't know if she got it. She'll be prosecuted but CUMIS knows if she filed for BK that they won't recover any of the money she supposedly stole so they are going after twhc hoping the court will give them back the money they paid the credit union. The comments posted a week or two ago by someone else explain what might happen if twhic is found innocent. And if they can prove Lynnette stole the money then she'll get prison time or probation and if her BK filing is approved, she won't be required to repay any money.
Have the members of Committee For Vindication finally exposed their true identities?
The members gotta be West, Simona, Yvonne and Smock. Who else but this group of Wiggington ass-kissers would even consider Wiggy to be kind hearted and generous to staff.
Hard to believe Lynette could walk away scot free after stealing $1 million. She should be in prison right now as fR as I'm concerned. Of course, Wiggy and Diedra are to blame for letting her off the hook in the first place by not notifying the police immediately when the theft was discovered.
I agree, only West, Simona, Yvonne and Smock might consider Wiggy to be kind hearted. Either that or the they're brain dead.
If Cumis and priority win their lawsuits, Wiggington should still get fired for negligence. The thefts that have occurred at the credit union while he's been president never happened at any other time since the credit union opened its doors in 1926. Getting robbed by employees is probably Wiggington's only accomplishment. That and getting sued.
What did happen to Lynnette? With everyone suing each other and accusing each other over negligence, the person who supposedly walked out with $1 million in cash from the Los Angeles branch seems to have become invisible. I don't see how she could be called to be a witness in CUMIS and P1's lawsuits against TWHC. Even if TWHC is found to have been negligent which caused everyone to overlook that $1 million in cash had been stolen, the fact remains that Lynnette is the person P1 fired for allegedly walking out with the cash. That is phenomenal. She was a mediocre manager at best. She was like Wiggington and Rodger Smock, lazy and like them, like to walk around wearing her title like it was a crown of gold. She created divisions like Wiggington, Smock, Yvonne and West and like all of these neanderthals, you couldn't rely on her "expertise" as an officer to help with the operation. But she proved to be is an excellent embezzler. You got to wonder, how did she enter the vault and remove $1 million over a two year period? Did she put the money in a purse, a Wallmart bag or under her blouse? Were the employees in the branch asleep, talking to each other, texsting, ect, that not one noticed anything suspicious about Lynnette entering the vault by herself and walking out looking like she had gained weight.
Then there are the dumb folks in South Pasadena. How could the internal auditor forget to audit vault cash for the L.A branch?
How could the accounting department fail to perform whatever audits are needed to ensure vault cash balances with vault ledgers and accounting department records?
How could the entire Supervisory Committee fail to perform inquiries needed to ensure security was in place.
And how could Diedra Harris Brooks, the real Board, fail to ensure all security was in place and fail to notice that more than $1 million in cash were conspicuously missing from the vault?
So TWHC didn't notice the thefts, but they're only at the credit union once or twice a year unless called by the President or Board. What did the President, Board and Supervisory Committee do the other more than 350 days a year to make sure that security was working and no thefts occurring?
Well?
Clearly, she missed her calling in life, well at least until she became 60 years old.
What did Lynette do with the $1 million in stolen funds? Is she living high on the hog and living the high life?
@Committee For Vindication
The Committee (West & Simona, most likely) states Wiggy is not a moocher. OK, then what is he? Well we know for sure he's a sexual harasser (verified by Patrice). We know he stole a member's BMW. We know he is a ball scratcher and a sloth who eats with his mouth wide-open. And guess what everyone who works at P1 thinks he is a moocher.
How is it even remotely possible Lynette has not been convicted and sentenced to prison for stealing $1 million?
It's simplynmind-boggling that Wiggy and Diedra would refuse to file a police report or press charges against Lynette. Did they have something to gain by not filing a police report? Protecting Lynette is just insane, unless they were in on the theft!
The court papers say the police were called but they may have been called by CUMIS, There is no way CUMIS would pay out the claim without a police report being filed. CUMIS sued Lynette, that's why she filed bakruptcy. One thing is sure, she can't spend the money because a record of her spending would be used as evidence. The "evidence" of her crime should have been submitted for prosecution which would have been presented to a grand jury. If the evidence was sufficiently compelling, she would have beeen indicted by the grand jury and a court date scheduled for her prosecution. So has the evidence been submitted to a grand jury and has she been indicted?
If she was indicted, she'd then be arrested and taken to the federal court building where she would be photographed and finger printed. However, the only way to find out if she's been indicted is for her attorney (if she's got one) to contact the court clerk or she can possibly call or wait to be arrested. The documents I read on this blog don't show she has an attorney which probably means she hasn't gotten an attorney- whether paid or a public defender.
To the person who asked if Diedra and wiggington had something to gain by not filing a police report, the answer which is pure speculation is probably yes. They may have dragged their feet from reporting the crime because this is a credit union that is the subject of a very public blog which has exposed the president of sexual harassment, repossessing a BMW which he transferred to his name without paying a penny for the vehicle, who launched a campaign which slandered and harassed many employees and which resulted in the filing of lawsuits that the credit union settled. This is also a president and board director who have resorted to no-so-clever manipulation of financials to make it appear the credit union is running well with lesser losses than are actually occurring. The last thing these 2 wanted was more attention to their incompetency. Unfortunately, the 2009 thefts by a receptionist didn't move the supervisory committee to review protocols and make changes that would have ensured better security. The reason why they chose not to move might be purely political. Remember, Wigginton was hand-picked by Diedra. And its naive to think that the mostly black board and all black supervisory committee would not do whatever possible to keep their black present in place including diminishing attention to his failures to protect credit union assets. The theft of $1 million is more difficult to ignore in part because the CU Times, an industry publication, reported the theft $1 million pinched from priority one. That was a blow to the credit union since it brought the kind of adverse publicity they didn't want or need. So did Diedra and Wiggington have something to gain? Of course.
I agree, Wiggington is a moocher not to mention a person with deplorable manners. His scratching and talking with his mouth open are just a pert of what makes up Wiggington's many memorable charms.
The fact that year after year, he has ruined the credit union and continues to get paid and receive bonuses for what are horrible performances is a great example proving that this man (?) is a moocher. Not only is he a moocher, but he is the height of hypocrisy. He used to tell us, "Only employees who prove themselves will get a raise and for them to do that, they have to get all 5's on their performance evaluations." 5 is the highest grade any employee can receive. So when has Wiggington ever rated a 5? All the documentation shows a man who rates a consistent zero.
This is the man who not only caused more than a $20 million loss in net income but then with the help of Diedra, tried to cover it up by borrowing $20 million from P1's line of credit. This is the same person found guilty of sexual harassment but who Diedra protected so he wouldn't lose his job. 4 or 5 years ago he fired a woman who took a 6" sandwich from a tray of company paid sandwiches. He also repossessed Danny Wafa's car, transferred ownership to himself, never paid a penny for the car and then sold it for money which he pocketed.
Most of us can agree, that Wiggington has spent the last 8 years ruining the credit union and doing far more than taking a 6" sandwich, yet why hasn't he been fired?
I smell a thief.
I saw Lynnette about 8 months ago and she didn't look worried or embarrassed. We didn't talk about the credit Nixon but she seemed fine.
I also ran into Lynette about 4 months ago. She was with someone I did not know and she sipping a sweet tea while nibbling on a plate of pasta at Olive Garden. I walked over and asked her how she was doing. I was taken aback when she replied "Things couldn't be better." Then without me even asking she inquired how her "friends" Wiggy and Smock - at the time she had a big grin on her face.
I ran into Lynnete at Fat Burgers. She looked like she gained a little weight. I noticed two burgers, a very large order of chili fries, a large coke and a slice of apple pie on the table. Not wanting to interrupt her lunch, I asked if she was meeting someone for lunching to my surprise she replied that she wasn't. I asked how she was doing and she replied that things were "great,." She couldn't contain her smile and after swallowing some hamburger she asked, "is Wiggington still with us?" . She next wished her best for Rodger and said "I hope that now that Caitlyn Jenner has come out that he'll feel confident enough to move forward with gender reassignment."
Wow! Coincidentally, I also ran into Lynette at The Original Hat Restaurant in Pasadena. She was all by herself munching on giant hot pastrami French Dip sandwich, a double cheese burger along with a huge side of chili fries and a side of gravy (naturally). I think she was washing the whole meal down with a diet coke (cause she was watching her weight?).
She told me things couldn't be better and she winked at me when she said "I've got plenty of cabbage off-shore that all the investigators in the world couldn't find." The she said something very strange when she mentioned "I hope Wiggy's happy with his share of the gravy." Not exactly sure what she meant by that odd comment.
Well we know Wig likes gravy- both his and that belonging to others. I bet he has gravy stashed away in off shore restaurants.
In the last couple of weeks haters on this site have posted many vile, insulting remarks about President Charles Wiggington. For example, Inferring he is a sexual harasser is outright slander without evidence, and there is none. It's not as if there is a deposition like the one Bill Cosby recently had unsealed. You can be sure If we knew who these posters are they would be referred to the credit union's legal counsel for litigation.
These asinine, rediculous comments about Wiggington are an insult not only to our CEO, but to all hard-working credit union CEO's in California......and to all Americans everywhere.
Everyone knows Wiggington is generous to a fault and in no way can be considered a mooch, especially since he is doing his best to restore free meals for staff on paydays. Making jokes about his private parts, repossessed autos and gravy are downright crude, and they are not funny, as many posters seem to think.
The Committee demands all negative comments cease immediately. Remember those who cast stones are doing the Devil's work.
He is a sexual harasser. in 2008, Scott Barer of EXTTI Inc. conducted a 6 week investigation during which he interviewed employees of the South Pasadena and Los Angeles branches.
On the day Mr. Barer was scheduled to present the evidence to the Board of Directors who in those days number 7 directors, Diedra Harris-Brooks only contacted O. Glen Saffold, Thomas Gathers, and Supervisory Committee Chair, Cornelia Simmons. Diedra wanted to make sure that the only persons present with Mr. Baer were people loyal to her and of course, easily controlled.
An employee of the credit union contacted director, Janice Irving, who was the only objective and fair member of the board. She in turn contacted Joe Marchica and to Diedra'a surprise and chagrin, showed up to the meeting.
The investigator presented the evidence and recommended they fire Wiggington but Diedra, O. Glen Saffold, Gathers and Cornelia Simmons fought for his reinstatement while Janice Irving voted for his termination. The majority one and Wiggington was reinstated and in the years that followed, net income plummeted, branches closed, the credit union became reliant on cut-backs key to its survival and well, the list goes on and on
Is the committee taking acid?
CORRECTED COMMITTEE COMMENT
The Committee for Instigation said...
In the last couple of weeks truth sayers on this site have posted many true, revealing and frank remarks about troglodyte, Charles Wiggington. For example, stating outright he is a sexual harasser is proven to be outright true and evidenced by EXTTI, the company that investigated him and found him to be guilty of the allegations.
It's not as if there is a deposition like the one Bill Cosby recently had unsealed but only because Diedra "Slippery Fish" Harris-Brooks made certain the evidence was squashed and Wiggington reinstated. And if you all remember correctly, the decision to reinstatement seemed to cause a rift between the credit union and their attorney who recommended the investigation.
The asinine and ridiculous Wiggington should be showered with the truth because he is dishonest, lazy, a liar and the most embarrassing president in California......and to all Americans everywhere.
Everyone knows Wiggington for what he is and they know he is at fault for all of the credit union's problems. Furthermore his reputation as a moocher, especially since he is known to take advantage of free meals paid for by his staff justify making jokes about his private parts, repossessed autos and gravy addiction. They are not funny, these are habits he should be ashamed of.
The Committee demands that we be placed in a mandatory 3-day hold for psychiatric evaluation. We are crying for help and attention because we were ignored as children. Remember, we are doing the Devil's work.
I was interviewed by Mr Barer. By the time I was interviewed, he had already talked to several other employees and knew about an incident that took place at Charlie's Trio during which Wiggington told Kim he was going to whip her ass because she wanted it. Wiggington is so stupid that every time he harassed her at work or that one time at Charlie's Trio, he did it in front of witnesses. There was no shortage of testimonies of what he said and or those times when he'd put his hands on her legs. Later, Diedra would write that Wiggington was encouraged to act illegally. How could a 50-some year old officer lose sight that he has to set an example and conduct himself respectfully?
Wiggington's years of bragging about sex, bragging about his junker fleet of BMW's, bragging about his $1 million house, his expensive collections, his BA, etc are just the cries of a little girl who is begging for attention that she never got as a child. He used to talk about how his mother locked him in a closet because he talked too much. Her mistake was that she let him out. He sexually harassed because he wants to believe that laws don't apply to him and that he's somehow exempt. He wouldn't be exempt if he was good-looking or smart which of course, he's not. Look at the mess he's put the credit union into. They're being sued because of his negligence and he has sued with the help of CUMIS who is going to try to get back the hundreds of thousands they paid out to Priority One against the million claim they filed because Lynnette walked away with $1 million in cash! How does a single employee walk away from a branch with $1 million without detection? It's inconceivable except under Wiggington. Why the Los Angeles branch- the only branch located in a black community has been the site of internal thefts since 2009 is any one's guess but one thing is for sure, the problems at Priority started with Wiggington so it's reasonable to assume that they will end with his termination.
Charles turned out to be the loser a lot of us knew he'd be..
Have they gone to court yet?
They haven't gone to trial yet because they're still disputing whether or not P1 has a right to sue TWHC. If that's approved, then they can consolidate. Wiggington doesn't care because it stalls the trial plus all that money being spent is coming out of the credit union.
President Wiggington most sincerely and eagerly wants to testify in court so he can clear the evil slurs being made against his reputation by individuals who continue to cast aspirations against his good name, as well as the security procedures he established for Priority One. By testifying our CEO will once and for all silence the haters and detractors who are obsessed with this blog.
Verily, you can be certain, my Brothers, the court will rule in Prioritiy One's favor once they hear the enlightened, truthful testimony of our chosen President. This Committee will be overjoyed when TWHC is found guilty as charged.
Remember the sacred scriptures state the Sons of Light will, in the end, be victorious over the Forces of Evil. All good men (Wiggington) will prevail over Beelzebub. Amen!
Yes, Wiggington is anxious to testify that's why when they were sued 2 years ago, his then attorney, the dishonorable and unethical, William Schimley, contacted the Plaintiff's attorney and told her that if she didn't remove Wiggington's name from the lawsuit, he would file a motion with the court which in essence would excuse him from testifying because he was suffering from cancer, undergoing grueling medical treatments and was too weak to testify. Coincidentally, at the time, Wiggington was strong enough to drive himself to South Pasadena and his supposed cancer didn't impede him from traipsing about the main branch talking about his cancer, his family, his cars, and his above-average intellect. Evidently, he wasn't suffering from cancer in the mouth. The lawyer also threatened that if Wiggington's name wasn't removed, he would do everything to prolong proceedings which he said could postpone the trial by months and even years. Yes, the biggest sissy in the credit union industry is as enthused about testifying as is a chicken awaiting to be eaten by a hawk.
So true. Wiggington makes Miss Mock look manly.
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