A bank branch manager has been sentenced to 13 months in prison after stealing over $200,000 from a customer.
Apparently, you can’t even trust the bank with your money anymore.
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According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), the former banker—James Gomes of New York—linked his personal phone number to the customers’ accounts so he could “improperly access a customer’s accounts.”
Basically, he abused his position of power at the international bank to steal a total of $208,938.68, transferring the funds to his personal bank and investment accounts in 2020.
“To cover up his scheme, Gomes created a fraudulent email address containing the customer’s name, which he used to engage in fictitious conversations with his own official bank email address to make it appear that the customer was communicating with him,” the DOJ said.
This activity continued even after the customer passed away in April 2020—which makes the entire ordeal even grimier.
Gomes was charged with one count of wire fraud affecting a financial institution. He pleaded guilty to the offense and on Tuesday was sentenced to 13 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
Gomes was also ordered to pay back the money “both restitution and forfeiture of criminal proceeds for misusing his position to steal approximately $208,938.68 from a customer’s accounts,” the DOJ said.
All that for nothing, man.
