Legal Issues

Former Bank Teller Going to Federal Prison For Fraud Crimes

Former Bank Teller Going to Federal Prison For Fraud Crimes

A former bank teller has been sentenced to over two years in federal prison on serious fraud charges.

Karen Farrell Tigler, of Marrero, Louisiana, will face 27 months imprisonment followed by two years of probation. United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance also ordered Tigler to Tigler to pay a $200.00 mandatory special assessment fee, restitution in the amount of $80,502.00 to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and $349,555.72 to her former employer, Hancock Whitney Bank.

Credit: Juan Monino/Getty Images

During Tigler's tenure with the bank, which spanned from 2013 through November 14, 2016, she engaged in a fraud scheme in which she embezzled funds from clients' accounts.

Per an official release from the IRS, "Client A" was a woman in her mid-80s from whom Tigler embezzled approximately $349,556 between February 9, 2015 and October 28, 2016. The ex-bank teller used 100 counter checks to debit the money from Client A's account.

Tigler forged the octogenarian's signature in order to process the illegitimate checks.

In addition to the embezzlement and forgery crimes, Tigler committed tax evasion. She neglected to report $134,429 on her 2015 tax return and $215,127 on her 2016 return.

She only reported income of $21,290 for the tax year 2015 and $19,256 for 2016, per IRS documents. 

Credit: Simple Images/Getty Images

James E. Dorsey, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office spoke out about the sentence, "Karen Tigler used her position at the bank to embezzle from an unsuspecting senior citizen customer."

"Tigler's sentence today sends a message that those who break the public's trust by engaging in criminal activities will be prosecuted," he continued.

U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans also shared his thoughts, saying, "Karen Tigler's duplicitous actions constitute Elder Fraud. Her fraudulent schemes unfairly targeted an elderly consumer, causing far reaching consequences and excessive losses. With the continued cooperation of our law enforcement partners, the U.S. Attorney's Office, EDLA will hold the perpetrators of elder fraud schemes accountable for their crimes."

What do you think about the Karen Tigler case?

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