The former president and CEO of the Jackson Area Federal Credit Union and her husband, a Mississippi Department of Insurance employee, are entangled in a $95 million embezzlement lawsuit.
Leigh and Chad Bridges are being sued in federal court by the National Credit Union Administration Board. Leigh Bridges is said to have taken JAFCU funds to use on personal expenditures, including top-tier jewelry, expensive handbags, luxury vehicles, homes in and outside of Mississippi, interior upgrades within the homes, and even credit card payments between April 2019 and March 2026.
The National Credit Union Administration Board serves as the conservator of JAFCU. Officials with NCUAB, in the court filing, say Leigh Bridges admitted to abusing funds within her office and concealing her transactions.
Concerns were first raised in June 2024 when investigators with the National Credit Union Administration, a partner that reviewed JAFCU’s transactions, found that Leigh Bridges had allegedly wired $378,780 to jewelry retailer Tiffany & Co. The transaction, however, was reportedly deceptively altered to have investment banking giant Raymond James as the beneficiary.
This triggered further investigation into Leigh Bridges’ wire activity, which is said to have uncovered tens of millions in misspent funds. After auditors began assessing the JAFCU president’s account activity, she allegedly pivoted to her husband’s account as a channel for fraud.
Chad Bridges has been employed by the Mississippi Insurance Department since 2004 and was named the agency’s director of the Financial and Market Regulation Division in 2024. His JAFCU account was allegedly used for a similar purpose as Leigh’s — credit card payments, luxury item purchases, and more. The Mississippi Insurance Department confirmed earlier this week that Chad Bridges had been placed on administrative leave.
Another defendant added to the case is former JAFCU branch manager Tina Funez, who told an NCUAB attorney that she developed a friendship with Leigh Bridges in the early 2000s. The friendship reportedly resulted in Funez moving to Mississippi and allegedly misusing funds with Leigh Bridges’ approval.
Funez’s alleged involvement in the scheme entailed her spending more than $500,000 with an American Express credit card issued to her by Leigh Bridges. Leigh is said to have paid all the statements. Funez also lived in a northeast Jackson townhouse owned by the Bridges and accompanied the family on vacations, several of which were traveled to on charter jets.
Leigh Bridges, per the court filing, even assisted Funez in purchasing a single-family residence located in Honduras. Funez said that the home had previously been owned by her grandmother.
At this time, the three defendants are not facing criminal charges. NCUAB has requested a jury trial with hopes of recovering the funds that were allegedly misspent. A trial date has not been set.
