Westlake Man Gets 42 Months In Jail for Role in Credit Union Collapse

U.S. District Court Judge Christopher Boyko sentenced Westlake resident Aziz Ukshini to 42 months in jail and 3 years supervised release for his role in defrauding a credit union. 

Ukshini was also ordered to pay restitution of $3,303,817 to the National Credit Union Association. 

Ukshini pleaded guilty in December of 2012 to charges related to defrauding the St. Paul Croatian Federal Credit Union. The case was investigated by the IRS and the FBI.

He was charged with one count of financial institution fraud, one count of giving commissions or gifts for procuring loans (bribery), and two counts of money laundering in November. He was 38 at the time of the charges.

Ukshini fraudulently obtained $2.4 million worth of loans from the credit union and is thought to have worked with Anthony Raguz, the credit union’s former chief operating officer, to receive loans between September of 2003 and March of 2010.

 St. Paul Croatian Federal Credit Union lost approximately $2.8 million as a result of Ukshini’s fraudulent conduct.

The Plain Dealer had an in-depth story about the collapse of the credit union in 2011.

Ukshini allegedly obtained loans by “making false representations and promises.”