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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
March 4, 2009
FORMER SALINA BANK EMPLOYEE PLEADS GUILTY TO EMBEZZLEMENT
TOPEKA, KAN. – Kellie M. Schmitt, 35, Salina, Kan., has pleaded guilty to embezzlement while she worked for Sunflower Bank in Salina, Acting U.S. Attorney Marietta Parker said today.
Schmitt entered a plea of guilty to one count of theft by a bank employee. In her plea, she admitted she stole money from Sunflower Bank in Salina while she was working as the processing manager for the bank’s customer credit card program.
From Nov. 25, 2005, to May 30, 2007, she diverted at least $35,000 into her personal bank account and personal credit card account. Schmitt used closed and dormant accounts of bank customers to divert the money. Schmitt concealed thefts by various means including:
– Taking funds from an account of customer who had an overpaid balance and transferring the balance to the bank’s “demo” accounts, which were used to train bank personnel. From there, she transferred some or all of the balance into her personal account.
– Reversing finance charges on bank customer accounts to keep the accounts from showing an amount past due.
– Suppressing statements to credit card holders to keep customers from being alerted to activity on their credit cards.
Sentencing is set for June 1, 2009. She faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison and a fine up to $1 million.
Parker commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Kenney for their work on the case.
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