Former Bank Employee Charged with Embezzlement in Pennsylvania

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced the filing of a criminal information in U.S. District Court in Scranton Wednesday charging Patricia A. Tokash, age 42, of Kingston, Pennsylvania, with bank embezzlement.

According to United States Attorney Peter J. Smith, Tokash was an employee of the M & T Bank branch located at 15 South Franklin Street, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. While employed at the bank, Tokash worked in the Government Loan Department and was responsible for administering and processing applications for M & T Bank loans to counties, townships, and municipalities. The criminal information alleges that between April 2011 and April 2012, Tokash embezzled approximately $62,995.66 in bank funds from fees paid in connection with loan applications, and/or from accounts at the M & T Bank, and converted the funds to her own use.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Prosecution is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney John Gurganus.

Criminal informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

A sentence following a finding of guilty is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

In this particular case, the maximum penalty under the federal statute is 30 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances, and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public, and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational, and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant