A Mission woman has pleaded guilty to mail fraud and diverting company funds for her own benefit, according to a news release from the office of U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

The news release said 57-year-old Elizabeth Batten was the finance director at McCreery Aviation in McAllen from 2019 to 2023. As part of her plea, she admitted to diverting company funds to pay for her personal expenses.

Batten signed blank company checks that were intended for legitimate business purposes to settle her credit card accounts, according to the news release.

The news release said Batten also used the U.S. Postal Service to hide her actions by mailing her fraudulent payments to multiple credit card companies in different states.

The investigation began after a McCreery Aviation employee noticed irregularities in the handling of company checks in 2023, according to the news release. It was revealed that Batten had fraudulently diverted a total of $1.2 million as part of her scheme.

According to the news release, as part of her plea, Batten will pay $1.91 million in restitution to McCreery Aviation.

She is scheduled for sentencing on October 7. Batten faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine, according to the news release. She was permitted to remain on bond pending her sentencing hearing.