Defendant in Detroit Mortgage Fraud Conspiracy Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud in Michigan

In July of 2013, seven individuals were indicted for the roles they played in a Detroit mortgage fraud operation. Those who were indicted by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District Court of Michigan included Peter Allen, Suhail Hallak, Al Karana, Wasseem Shamoun, Joey Murad, Jeffrey Najor, and Jason Najor. The defendants were alleged to have used fraudulent information for the purpose of obtaining mortgage loans from banks and lending institutions beginning in January of 2006, and continuing until December of 2008. muB6xyw

It was announced by the Department of Justice on August 12, 2014 that Wasseem Shamoun has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Shamoun pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. According to the July 2013 indictment, the scheme resulted in area banks and financial institutions paying out fraudulent mortgage loan funds that totaled approximately $10 million.

Five of the seven defendants were charged with 20 counts of bank fraud each, including Shamoun. Several agencies assisted in the investigation including the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration), the IRS – Criminal Investigation, and the FBI. According to the release issued by the Department of Justice, Shamoun was personally responsible for a loss of approximately $394,000 to local financial institutions.

Shamoun and his co-defendants are said to have devised a scheme in which property was purchased in amounts ranging from $5,000 to $40,000 per home. The defendants then recruited straw buyers who would be paid a fee to submit fraudulent home mortgage loan applications. The prices paid to the defendants by straw buyers for single family homes ranged from $90,000 to $120,000 per home, with the defendants paying themselves $10,000 to $50,000 commissions.

Shamoun is scheduled to be sentenced on December 2, and faces a $1 million fine and statutory maximum prison term of 30 years for his role in the conspiracy.

Federal crimes such as conspiracy to defraud financial institutions in schemes such as the one described above are extremely serious. Individuals who are accused of mortgage fraud conspiracy or other federal crimes must consult with an experienced and aggressive Michigan criminal defense attorney in order to obtain the best possible results.

Woman uses PayPal to embezzle $50k from Dexter business

Deputies from the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office are investigating a woman who they believe embezzled tens of thousands of dollars from a Dexter business over the period of 18 months.


Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Geoffrey Fox said the bookkeeper from Northern Pizza Equipment Inc., 8020 Grand St., is being investigated for embezzling about $50,000. Fox said the embezzlement was reported on Feb. 12, and went on for between a year and a year and a half.

Embezzlement cases can often take a long time to investigate, due to the amount of records needed from financial institutions, and it appears this case is no different, Fox said.

The case has not been turned over to the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office because investigators are still waiting for bank, PayPal and other financial records, he said.

“It looks like they have more work to do,” he said.

Fox said the woman, who is not being identified because she has not been charged, had access to Northern Pizza Equipment’s PayPal account.

She would transfer money from the business’ PayPal account into a different business account, Fox said. The woman was the owner of the unnamed business receiving the funds.

Fox declined to release more identifying information about the woman on Tuesday.

A message was left with Northern Pizza Equipment Inc. on Tuesday afternoon seeking comment for this story.

Bank Manager Charged With Embezzlement in Michigan

Brianna Freel of Cedarville was arrested and arraigned in the 92nd District Court of Mackinac County Wednesday, June 11, on charges of embezzling from her employer. She was charged with five felony charges, including embezzlement of more than $50,000, but less than $100,000, with a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison; forgery, with a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison; use of a computer to commit a crime, with a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison; larceny by false pretenses, $1,000 or more, but less than $20,000, with a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and identity theft, with a maximum penalty of five years in prison, according to Michigan State Police.

Mrs. Freel had been a loan officer and branch manager at the Cedarville branch of the U.P. State Credit Union.

The Michigan State Police began investigating the case in January 2014.

Mrs. Freel waived preliminary examination and was bound over to Circuit Court. Her arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, June 19, at 2 p.m. She is free on bond.

The Michigan State Police report that the loan officer and branch manager at the Cedarville branch of the U.P. State Credit Union has been charged with embezzlement.

Officials say that the Michigan State Police from the St. Ignace Post have been investigating several cases of embezzlement at this credit union, leading to the arrest of 40-year-old Briana Freel of Cedarville.

Freel has been charged on five felony charges:

1. Embezzlement of over $50,000, but less than $100,000 (maximum penalty of 15 years in prison)
2. Forgery (maximum penalty of 14 years in prison)
3. Use of a Computer to Commit a Crime (maximum penalty of 10 years in prison)
4. Larceny by False Pretenses $1,000 or more, but less than $20,000 (maximum penalty of five years in prison)
5. Identity Theft (maximum penalty of five years in prison)

The preliminary examination was waived, and Freel was bound over to Circuit Court. Her arraignment is scheduled for June 19 at 2 p.m.

Woman arrested for embezzlement charges in Michigan

The Iron Mountain Police Department has arrested a woman on embezzlement charges.

On June 13, Iron Mountain Police Department received a complaint from the First National Bank and Trust North Side Branch in reference to embezzlement of money. Officials investigated this claim and learned that over $10,000 had been stolen. As a result of the investigation and a review of the complaint by Dickinson County Prosecutor Lisa Richards, 67-year-old Josephine Novara of Breitung Township was arrested.

She was arrested on one count of embezzlement from a financial institution, a felony which, if convicted, is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Officials say that she Novara was released on $10,000 Personal Recognizance Bond, and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in District Court on July 2 at 8:15 a.m.

Ludington, Michigan woman gets prison for nearly $1 million bank embezzlement

 Stacy Lynn Ahlgren, a former employee of Northwestern Bank in Ludington, has been sentenced to federal prison for embezzling nearly $1 million from the bank over nearly six years.

U.S. District Judge Robert J. Jonker on Wednesday, April 17, ordered Ahlgren, 39, to prison for 27 months, followed by supervised release for three years. He also ordered Ahlgren to pay restitution of $873,589.76, the amount that is documented to have been stolen.

According to court documents, the prison sentence was at the low end of federal sentencing guidelines, which recommended a range of 27 to 33 months.

In a sentencing memorandum filed with the court last week, Ahlgren’s attorney, Larry C. Willey, asked for a sentence below the guidelines. Willey argued that Ahlgren had been influenced by a bad marriage with an abusive husband, whom she tried to make happy by financing his “lifestyle.” 

The ex-husband, Garth Allen Kimbler, whom she divorced in 2012, is in state prison for weapons and vandalism convictions in connection with a November 2011 attack on his then-wife.

Willey’s memorandum said Stacy Ahlgren’s salary from the bank, where she worked as a senior customer service representative and had access to its vault, was $18,500 per year throughout the period of the embezzlement, 2006 through 2011.

But Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert M. Stella responded that Ahlgren, then known as Stacy Lynn Kimbler, had many opportunities to “make the right choice” by stopping her criminal conduct but failed to do so.

Stella’s sentencing memorandum said she used most of the stolen money to support her husband’s alcohol, drug and gambling habits, as well her own gambling, which Stella said by her own admission accounted for more than $100,000 in spending during the embezzlement period. Stella said that, according to the record, her husband had no knowledge of her theft.

Ahlgren pleaded guilty Dec. 20 to embezzlement from an insured bank, a federal crime. According to Stella’s sentencing memo, $100,000 of the stolen money was paid by the bank itself, the rest by its insurer.

In her plea agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice, Ahlgren admitted embezzling $873,589.76 from the bank from 2007 through 2011, with the amounts rising each year from $140,866.45 in 2007 to $188,591.52 in 2011.

According to the plea agreement, Ahlgren worked at two branch locations of Northwestern Bank in Ludington. By 2006 she was the senior customer service representative, giving her sole responsibility over the bank vault in the branch at 101 E. Court St.

According to the plea agreement, at least weekly she stole cash, cashier’s checks and money orders from her teller drawer in an area she knew was not caught on security cameras. She concealed the scheme by preparing false bank-vault audit sheets and by periodically falsifying the vault balance in the bank’s computer system.

According to Willey's sentencing memo, bank officials became suspicious in December 2011 and did an audit at the Ludington branch. During the audit Ahlgren admitted her embezzlement to a fellow employee, repeated it to bank officials and again repeated it to local police the same day, Willey said.

FORMER BANK EMPLOYEE SENTENCED FOR EMBEZZELMENT IN MICHIGAN

A FORMER SIGNATURE BANK EMPLOYEE HAS BEEN SENTENED TO 18 MONTHS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR EMBEZZLING MORE THAN $200,000 FROM THE BANK.


ACCORDING TO A SIGNATURE BANK PRESS RELEASE, THE U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ISSUED FEDERAL CHARGES AGAINST JILL BUCHHOLZ OF PIGEON IN CONNECTION WITH THE INCIDENT.

SHE APPEARED IN FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT IN BAY CITY FOR SENTENCING THURSDAY. SHE WAS ALSO ORDERED TO PAY RESTITUION OF 186,000 DOLLARS.

BUCHHOLTZ REPORTEDLY ENTERED A GUILTY PLEA TO A SINGLE FELONY COUNT IN AN EARLIER APPEARANCE. THE INCIDENTS OCCURRED BETWEEN 2009 AND JULY 2011.WHEN BANK EXECUTIVES BEGAN INVESTIGATING THE SUSPECTED EMBEZZLEMENT.

THE RELEASE STATES THE SUSPECTED EMBEZZELMENT WAS IMMEDIATELY REPORTED TO LOCAL POLICE AND THE FBI. AN OUTSIDE CONSULTANT WAS HIRED TO HELP REVIEW BANK FILES. BUCHHOLZ HAS SINCE RESIGNED HER POSITION. NO OTHER BANK EMPLOYEES WERE INVOLVED.

OFFICIALS SAID BANK EXECUTIVES WERE INITIALLY MADE AWARE OF SOME VIOLATIONS OF BANK POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND SOME IRREGULARITIES WITH LOANS ORIGINATED BY BUCCHOLZ. ACCOUNTS OF APPROXIMATELY 20 BANK CUSTOMERS WERE THE SUBJECT OF FRAUDULENT ACTIVITIES. THOSE CUSTOMERS WERE ALL NOTIFIED AND THE BANK MET WITH EACH TO INFORM THEM OF THE SITUATION. BANK PRESIDENT AND CEO ROBERT THOMAS TOLD WLEW THE BANK IS PROTECTED BY SPECIAL INSURANCE AGAINST FRAUD AND DISHONESTY BY EMPLOYEES.

Court records state Buchholz, between 2009 and 2011, used her position at Signature Bank to embezzle at least $306,000.




“We are disheartened that a former employee abused the trust our customers and coworkers placed in her every day,” said President and CEO Robert Thomas in a press release. “Unfortunately, fraud is more common today because of economic conditions and banks are not immune, despite the high level of controls we have. With the help of an outside forensic accountant, we have evaluated our internal processes and procedures to ensure we have the proper safeguards in place.”



Buchholz pleaded guilty to one felony count of theft/embezzlement/misapplication by a bank officer. That crime carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine.



Bank executives were initially made aware of some violations of bank policies and procedures and some irregularities with loans originated by Buchholz. No other bank employees were involved.



As the internal investigation proceeded, the bank reports that it met with each affected customer to inform them of the situation.



“We took swift action to stop the fraudulent activity and appreciate all the hard work law enforcement has put into this investigation to ensure that this individual is held accountable for her actions,” Thomas said. “Our customers are very loyal and understand that we are a federally insured depository institution. Any financial risk is to the bank, not to our customers.”



Signature Bank carries special insurance to protect it against fraud and dishonesty by employees. The bank employs more than 100 people at eight branches, with headquarters in Bad Axe.
No Signature Bank deposit customer incurred a financial loss as a result of a recent criminal activity by a former employee, bank officials announced Monday.




The accounts of about 20 Signature Bank customers were the subject of the fraudulent activity and all customers involved have been notified of the issue, the bank announced. It said no loan customers have been required to pay any amounts contrary to their loan agreements or pay any amounts improperly credited as a result of the fraud.



Former loan representative Jill M. Buchholz of Pigeon was sentenced last week to 18 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $186,000 in restitution to the bank. Federal Judge Thomas L. Ludington sentenced her in U.S. District Court in Bay City.
No Signature Bank deposit customer incurred a financial loss as a result of a recent criminal activity by a former employee, bank officials announced Monday.




The accounts of about 20 Signature Bank customers were the subject of the fraudulent activity and all customers involved have been notified of the issue, the bank announced. It said no loan customers have been required to pay any amounts contrary to their loan agreements or pay any amounts improperly credited as a result of the fraud.



Former loan representative Jill M. Buchholz of Pigeon was sentenced last week to 18 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $186,000 in restitution to the bank. Federal Judge Thomas L. Ludington sentenced her in U.S. District Court in Bay City.

Sole employee sentenced in credit union embezzlement in Michigan

An Ohio woman who authorities say embezzled $2.1 million from a small credit union in Michigan has been sentenced to at least 45 months in prison.
Sharon Broadway of Toledo was in court Thursday in Monroe to learn her punishment, which is up to 20 years in prison. She earlier pleaded guilty.
A judge also ordered her to pay restitution.
Authorities say she stole money for more than 20 years as the only employee at United Catholic Credit Union in Temperance, near the Ohio border. The credit union was closed in August when problems were detected. Because of insurance, no depositor lost money.

Gambling at root of Grand Rapids, Michigan bank embezzlement

A Grand Rapids-area woman says gambling led her to embezzle about $600,000 from Huntington Bank.


Jo Anne Wierenga pleaded guilty Monday in federal court. She told a judge that gambling caused her to steal money for seven years at a Huntington branch in Grand Rapids.



Authorities say Wierenga took money from customer accounts and the vault. She remains free on bond but must stay away from casinos and attend Gamblers Anonymous meetings. Wierenga will receive her sentence on May 9.

Woman charged with embezzlement from Michigan bank

A Muskegon woman faces up to five years in prison if convicted of charges of embezzling from the Spring Lake bank where she worked.



Samantha Leigh Green, 1203 Hampden Road, has been accused of moving more than $1,000 from Huntington Bank, 123 W. Savidge St., to her personal account at another bank, according to Detective Corey Allard of the Spring Lake/Ferrysburg Police Department.



Green, 25, is free on a $3,000 personal recognizance bond. She is scheduled to appear for arraignment in Ottawa County 20th Circuit Court on Feb. 14.



Green, who started working as a personal banker at Huntington Bank last fall, allegedly transferred the funds between Dec. 6, 2010, and Jan. 6, Allard said.



"She gave herself unauthorized refunds to her employee accounts," the detective said. "Then she would transfer them to her personal accounts at another financial institution."



Green was discovered when the bank ran a refund report and noticed the activity, Allard said. It was turned over to the bank investigator, who then contacted police.



Allard said Green admitted to the transfer of funds, but did not have a reason for taking the money.



"She never spent any of the money," Allard said.



Green has no prior criminal history, he added.

Former credit union official charged with embezzling in Michigan

A retired Muskegon High School assistant principal has been charged with embezzling thousands of dollars from a teachers’ credit union where he was office manager.



Kenneth Richard Doctor, 62, of 5451 Davis is scheduled for a preliminary examination Jan. 5 on a charge of embezzlement from a financial institution. That’s a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.



Doctor was arraigned Nov. 29 and is free on a $10,000 signature bond, according to court records.



Brett Gardner, chief assistant Muskegon County prosecutor, said Muskegon police reports indicate Doctor allegedly used money from the Muskegon Teachers Credit Union “for his own personal use and gain” over a period of time through August 2008. The money — totaling more than $6,000 — allegedly was spent on “personal items” in several transactions, Gardner said.



Police reports indicate Doctor was office manager and treasurer of the board of directors of the credit union, located at 1150 Amity. The alleged missing money was uncovered as the result of an audit in the summer of 2008 that resulted in Doctor’s suspension, Gardner said.



Fredric Balgooyen, the Muskegon attorney listed in court files as representing Doctor, could not be reached for comment.



Doctor earlier worked as assistant principal and dean of administrative services for Muskegon High School.

Audit shows no missing bank money after CEO's death in Michigan

A forensic audit on the operations of Community Central Bank following the disappearance of the institution's former CEO David Widlak found no missing money or irregularities.However, the Mount Clemens-based bank was ordered by state and federal regulators to comply with a lengthy list of corrective measures outlined in a consent order to strengthen the bank's financial condition.
In a statement released Friday afternoon, officials said the forensic analysis uncovered no unauthorized transactions by Widlak, who later turned up dead from a gunshot wound to the back of the head.
"We remain baffled and deeply saddened by the violent death of our friend and colleague," acting CEO Ray Colonius said in the statement.
Widlak, 62, of Grosse Pointe Farms, was reported missing on Sept. 20 after his car was found in the bank's parking lot and his office was in disarray. His body was found Oct. 17 by a pair of duck hunters in a marshy section of Lake St. Clair in Harrison Township.
After a pair of autopsies, a gunshot wound was found in the back of Widlak's head and a .38-caliber handgun he owned was found nearby in the muddy water.
The Macomb County Sheriff's Office and Macomb County Medical Examiner are working to complete their investigation into whether his death was a suicide or murder. A number of toxicology and ballistic tests will help make that determination.
In the days following his disappearance, the Macomb Daily reported Widlak had moved back to Michigan from Las Vegas because he had lost a lot of money gambling, raising speculation he was involved in illegal activity at the bank such as embezzlement.
But the audit, conducted by independent accountants Plante & Moran, PLLC, did not turn up any "unauthorized or problematic transactions, or any circumvention of internal controls on the part of Mr. Widlak," according to the bank's statement.
The statement also acknowledged Community Central Bank has been directed to a consent order with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Michigan Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation (OFIR) to take steps to bolster the bank's standing.
Under terms of the consent order, effective Nov. 1, 2010, the bank has agreed to:
* Increase board oversight and conduct an independent study of management
* Improve regulatory capital ratios
* Charge-off certain classified assets
* Reduce its level of loan delinquencies and problem assets
* Limit lending to certain borrowers
* Revise lending and collection policies
* Adopt and implement new profit, strategic and liquidity plans
* Correct loan underwriting and credit administration deficiencies
In addition, the order must obtain prior regulatory approval before paying cash dividends or the appointment of any senior executive officers or directors.
Community Central Bank also is not allowed to accept brokered deposits without a waiver from the FDIC and must comply with certain deposit rate restrictions.
According to the statement, the consent order is the result of discussions regulators had with the bank earlier this year. It will remain in effect until it is changed or terminated by the FDIC or the OFIR.
In his statement, the bank's acting CEO said Community Central Bank like many commercial, real estate and business lenders in Michigan faces unprecedented challenges due to the economic downturn and the decline of values in real estate collateral in the bank's loan portfolio.
"The board and management are committed to doing everything possible to comply with the agreement," Colonius said in the statement.
Community Central Bank's financial situation has grown dark over the past year.
Recent quarterly reports show the lender lost $12.9 million in the first half of 2010, compared to $13 million for all of 2009.
Bauer Financial Inc., which rates banks nationwide on a five-star system based on financial documents, gave Community Central zero stars for the first and second quarters of 2010.
News of the forensic audit gave the bank's stock a mild uptick. It went from 52 cents a share on Thursday to 60 cents by the end of Friday.

Efforts made to ‘resolve’ bank embezzlement in Adrian, Michigan

A hearing in an alleged embezzlement of more than $150,000 from OSB Community Bank’s Onsted branch was adjourned a month to give the defense time to review audit reports and other evidence.Adrian attorney Stanley Sala was recently hired by long-time bank employee Sylvia Anita Wallace to defend her against an embezzlement charge. A public defender was appointed to represent Wallace when she was arraigned Aug. 6 in Lenawee County District Court.Sala was granted a motion on Monday to adjourn Wallace’s preliminary examination to Sept. 20. There is a large volume of documents and reports to review, he said.“We want to verify the accounting,” Sala said.OSB Community Bank had a forensic audit conducted after internal auditing in June revealed a large sum of money missing from the Onsted branch. The bank reported an amount between $150,000 and $200,000 was taken at least since Dec. 1 through June 23, said Lenawee County Undersheriff James Anderson.The investigation immediately focused on Wallace because of her position of being in charge of the branch’s vault, Anderson said.“She has cooperated,” he said after her arraignment. Sala said Wednesday that Wallace is continuing to cooperate.“Sylvia, of course, is making every effort to resolve this in the best interest of the bank, and is considerate of how she is affecting everybody,” Sala said. “It is extremely regretful and sorrowful.”Sala said Wallace is concerned about her former co-workers. “All these employees she worked with are good people. Good, honorable people,” Sala said. The embezzlement case has caused bank customers to question the impact of the loss.The bank issued a statement even before Wallace was arraigned, assuring customers and shareholders that no individuals lost any money and that OSB Community Bank remains financially sound.“No customer or shareholder lost money in this event, and no other details are forthcoming at this time. OSB Community Bank is well capitalized and is a strong community bank established in 1907,” said the statement by Charles Maurer, OSB Community Bank president and CEO.The charge Wallace now faces, embezzlement $100,000 or more, carries a maximum 20-year prison term. She remains free on personal recognizance while awaiting a preliminary examination next month.
A third adjournment was granted Tuesday in Lenawee County District Court for a preliminary examination in the case of an Onsted woman accused of embezzling more than $150,000 from the Onsted branch of OSB Community Bank.




The hearing for Sylvia Anita Wallace, 45, was rescheduled for Dec. 13 after a defense attorney and prosecutor agreed to the delay. The two sides are working toward agreements that may resolve the case. She remains free on personal recognizance.



Wallace was arraigned Aug. 12 on a charge of embezzlement $100,000 or more, a felony carrying a maximum 20-year prison term. She allegedly took money from the bank at least since Dec. 1 last year. An investigation was started in June after discrepancies in bank records were discovered.



Bank officials have said no customers have lost any money.

Employee charged with stealing more than $150,000 from Onsted, Michigan bank

An Onsted woman was charged Thursday with embezzling more than $150,000 from a bank branch in the village where she was a longtime employee.An investigation of funds discovered missing in June brought OSB Community Bank teller Sylvia Anita Wallace, 45, into Lenawee County District Court. She was arraigned on a felony charge of embezzlement of more than $100,000.A public defender was assigned to represent Wallace at an Aug. 23 preliminary examination after she told the court she could not afford to hire an attorney. She remains free on personal recognizance.Wallace could face a maximum 20-year prison term if convicted of the embezzlement charge.A statement issued by Sheriff Jack Welsh said an investigation that led to Wallace’s arrest began in late June. He said OSB Community Bank officials reported discovering major discrepancies during a routine internal audit.Welsh said Wallace was suspected “due to her position at the bank, and subsequent investigation confirmed her involvement.”Wallace was in charge of the branch’s vault as well as being a teller, said Undersheriff James Anderson, and that fact focused the investigation on her.“She has cooperated,” Anderson said. None of the missing funds, however, have been recovered, he said. An amount between $150,000 and $200,000 was reported missing by bank officials.According to court documents, the money was allegedly taken between Dec. 1 and June 23. The embezzlement, however, may have occurred over a longer period of time, Anderson said.No customers or shareholders lost any money in the embezzlement, said a news release issued by Charles Maurer, OSB Community Bank president and CEO.“OSB Community Bank is well capitalized and is a strong community bank established in 1907,” Maurer said in the written statement. The bank is not releasing details of the incident at the Onsted branch, he stated.Welsh also said in his statement that no bank customers lost any funds and that OSB Community Bank is continuing normal operations.

Ex- St. Joseph, Michigan bank worker admits embezzling

A former employee of Chemical Bank in St. Joseph pleaded guilty Friday to embezzling about $34,000 from customer accounts. Ashley Jones, 19, of Coloma, wrote counter checks on the accounts of at least three customers and cashed them, investigators said.
Jones appeared in Berrien County Trial Court to plead guilty to embezzlement of $20,000 to $50,000, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
Judge Charles LaSata accepted the plea and allowed her to remain free on bond pending sentencing June 18.
St. Joseph police investigated after customers reported account withdrawals that they did not make.
Chief Assistant Prosecutor Michael Sepic said Jones started working as a teller in the bank's drive-up window off Main Street in January.
In February and March she wrote counter checks from the accounts of three older customers and cashed them, embezzling about $34,000, Sepic said.

Fmr. Grand Rapids bank exec. takes embezzlement plea

A former Ionia County bank executive accused of embezzlement has changed his not-guilty plea in federal court.

Michael Joseph Willett entered a plea agreement Wednesday for embezzling bank funds and aggravated identity theft. As part of the deal, he agreed to plead to one count of theft of bank funds and one count of aggravated identity theft in exchange for 14 other counts being dropped.
He could be sentenced to as long as 30 years in prison and fined $1 million.
Willett originally was charged with embezzling more than $200,000 from First Bank of West Michigan, formerly known as Ionia County National Bank. That figure has been amended to theft of $30,000 but not more than $70,000.
This is the same bank former Belding Mayor Shane Husted pleaded guilty to embezzling from. In February, Husted was sentenced to spend 18 months in federal prison.
Willett is expected to finalize the agreement Thursday

Teller, age 19, charged in bank scam: Coloma, Michigan woman is alleged to have embezzled $34K in two months

A young woman who allegedly stole more than $34,000 from customer accounts while she worked for Chemical Bank Shoreline in St. Joseph faces a felony embezzlement charge. Ashley Jones, 19, of Coloma waived a preliminary hearing Tuesday in Berrien County Trial Court on a charge of embezzlement over $20,000. She is free on bond pending a trial set for June 8.
Jones started working for the bank in January and was assigned as a teller to a drive-up window off Main Street, said Berrien County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Michael Sepic.
During February and March, Jones allegedly wrote counter checks from the accounts of three customers for a total of about $34,000 and cashed them, Sepic said.
Customers reported account withdrawals that they did not make, and the matter was turned over to St. Joseph police. The victims were older customers.
If convicted as charged, Jones would face up to 10 years in prison.

Fifth Third Bank employee in Michigan accused of embezzling $950,000 over five years

Federal prosecutors say a Fifth Third Bank employee stole $950,000 over five years from the bank's Rockford branch in a scheme that started by simply taking cash from the vault.

Prosecutors Tuesday filed criminal allegations against Amanda Renee Burns, charging that she embezzled the funds as a bank officer.
The federal report alleges Burns in March 2004 began removing cash from Fifth Third's vault at the Rockford branch and "used the money for personal benefit."
"She continued to remove cash in varying amounts from that time until Fifth Third learned of the scheme in May 2009," the report said.
Prosecutors also allege that Burns, to further the embezzlement scheme, falsified bank records and manipulated audits on multiple occasions.
Today's federal filing also seeks a forfeiture of property to get reimbursement for the lost funds.