Hayden woman indicted by federal grand jury in $202,994 bank embezzlement case in Alabama

A Hayden woman was indicted today by a federal grand jury on a charge that she embezzled money from the Warrior bank where she worked, federal authorities announced. The indictment seeks to have her forfeit $202,994 as proceeds of illegal activity.
The one-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court in Birmingham charges Frances Duckworth, 51, with embezzling from Superior Bank and its successor banks between November 2009 and August 2012, according to a joint statement from U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance and U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Roy Sexton.

Duckworth worked as head teller at the Warrior bank branch during that time, according to the statement. The bank is now Cadence Bank.

The Secret Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry Cornelius is prosecuting the case.

A Hayden woman has been sentenced to more than two years in prison for embezzling money from the bank where she worked.

Federal authorities say 51-year-old Frances Duckworth was sentenced Wednesday to serve 27 months in prison. Duckworth pleaded guilty in March to embezzling money from the Warrior bank where she worked between November 2009 and August 2012.

Authorities say Duckworth must also forfeit $202,994 to the government as proceeds of illegal activity and must pay the same amount in restitution to the bank. She will also be on supervised release for five years after her release.