Former Bank Teller Pleads Guilty to Stealing $255,000 from Elderly Clients

A former bank teller in Maryland, 27-year-old Mountee Brown, has pleaded guilty to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Brown admitted to stealing $255,000 from elderly clients, aged 80 and above, by triggering unauthorized ATM withdrawals. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland has confirmed the charges against Brown, who was employed at a local bank. The theft involved Brown using his position to access the accounts of elderly clients and making unauthorized withdrawals from their accounts. The funds were then transferred to his personal accounts or used for personal expenses. The unauthorized ATM withdrawals were made without the knowledge or consent of the clients, who were unaware of the fraudulent activities until they noticed discrepancies in their account balances.

The case highlights the vulnerability of elderly clients to financial fraud and the importance of banks implementing robust security measures to protect their customers' accounts. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland is working closely with local law enforcement to ensure that Brown is held accountable for his actions and that the stolen funds are recovered and returned to the victims. The case serves as a reminder of the need for vigilance in protecting the financial well-being of elderly individuals and the importance of reporting any suspicious activity to the appropriate authorities.

Prosecutors outlined a web of deceptive acts by Brown and at least two co-conspirators against five victims, four of whom were over 80 years old. Brown’s guilty plea revealed that he used his position as a bank teller to gain access to the victims’ accounts and, using co-conspirators to “pose” as the victims walking into the bank, make at least 26 unauthorized withdrawals. Brown verified the transactions and falsely reported that they were done by “known clients.”

Brown and his co-conspirators began carrying out the scheme on October 21, 2022, when one of the co-conspirators entered the bank and approached Brown at his designated teller station. Brown knew that the co-conspirator was not the actual victim but conducted a $10,000 cash withdrawal from the victim’s account without their knowledge or consent. Brown falsely documented that he verified the customer, that the customer was a ‘known client,’ and that the customer was known by Brown’s supervisor. The co-conspirator falsely signed the withdrawal ticket as the victim. Brown repeated the same scheme multiple times, making cash deposits of approximately $30,200 into his personal account at another financial institution, and he and his co-conspirators made off with at least $255,000.

This case underscores the critical need for financial institutions to implement stringent security protocols and regular audits to detect and prevent such fraudulent activities. It also emphasizes the importance of educating elderly clients about the risks of financial fraud and the steps they can take to protect their assets. The collaboration between the U.S. Attorney's Office and local law enforcement in this case demonstrates a commitment to justice and the protection of vulnerable individuals from financial exploitation.