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STAFF REPORT :::
Ryan Edge, a former employee of The Southern Credit Union, has been arrested by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation on six counts of felony theft by deception.
The GBI began its investigation of Edge after receiving a request from the Griffin Police Department on March 19, 2020.
The Griffin Police Department sought the GBI’s assistance in investigating suspicious activity reported on loans at The Southern Credit Union.
Authorities say the initial investigation identified Edge, of Williamson, as someone with alleged involvement in the theft of funds from approximately five customers during various loan activities.
Further investigation identified a total of 22 victims from 2014 to 2019, many of whom were victimized repeatedly, investigators say.
Officials allege most of the thefts occurred as a part of refinance loans, where Edge allegedly created a payoff check of a value greater than necessary to close the old loan, cashed the check through a bank teller and kept the overage amount.
Some customers were told the excess amount was a loan fee to the credit union, some customers were provided no explanation and others later discovered the discrepancies, said the GBI.
Investigators reported the total amount of loss is estimated to exceed $35,000.
This investigation is ongoing and will be turned over to the Griffin Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.
Anyone with information related to this case is asked to contact the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Region 2 Field Office at 706.565.7888.
Tips may also be submitted by calling 800.597.TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.
Edge, who was arrested Jan. 5, was booked into the Spalding County Jail.
Edge also serves as the Pike County Board of Education, representing District 1.
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