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A former MassMutual Federal Credit Union loan officer is headed to prison after admitting to defrauding MassMutual Federal Credit Union out of almost $1 million.

Brian Socha, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark Mastroianni to 18 months in prison, according to the United States Department of Justice.

Socha was convicted of hacking into co-workers’ computers on over 20 occasions to raise the credit limit and lower the interest rate to below market levels on his home equity line of credit (HELOC) on the home he owned with his wife according to the DOJ.

Over a period of six years, he increased his HELOC credit limit from $135,500 to $995,000 and adjusted the HELOC interest rate from 7.25 percent to 1.99 percent, according to the DOJ.

Socha spent the stolen funds on his personal enjoyment and lifestyle, prosecutors said. A judge ordered Socha to pay $902,541.15 in restitution.

Once out of prison, Socha will be under supervised release for two years.

He was a MassMutual employee from February 2018 through November 2023, according to National Credit Union Association data.