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Published on November 07, 2024
Former TD Bank Employee Indicted for Allegedly Leaking Customer Data on Telegram, Tied to $500K Fraud Scheme in ManhattanSource: Google Street View

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., has announced the indictment of a former TD Bank employee for reportedly exploiting her position to illegally disseminate personal information of the bank's customers via Telegram. Daria Sewell, 32, is facing charges of Unlawful Possession of Personal Identification Information in the Second Degree, as per an indictment handed down by the New York State Supreme Court, according to information from the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.

While working in the anti-money laundering department of TD Bank from 2023 to May 2024, Sewell reportedly had access to sensitive client data and is said to have abused this access. "This defendant allegedly abused her access while working in TD Bank’s anti-money laundering department to steal from the bank’s own customers," stated District Attorney Bragg. She used Telegram, a platform that has been associated with various illicit activities, to circulate the information to individuals whom she coached to fraudulently deposit checks and split the proceeds.

Investigations have revealed that Sewell's mobile phone contained images of 255 checks along with extensive personal details of nearly 70 other customers, including their names, addresses, and social security numbers. Sewell's case is linked to a broader check fraud investigation involving five other individuals and accounting for nearly $500,000 in losses. These defendants were caught allegedly depositing stolen checks into personal bank accounts, with some communications pinpointing strategies discussed with Sewell for committing check fraud.

An ongoing investigation into the broader scheme and Sewell's alleged involvement continues to unfurl, led by Assistant D.A. Yuval Simchi-Levi with supervisory support from high-ranking officials within the D.A.’s office. District Attorney Bragg has expressed his office's commitment to rooting out any conduct on platforms like Telegram that "poses a safety threat to Manhattanites and New Yorkers." Noteworthy assistance in the investigation came from multiple members of the office, along with detectives from the 25th Precinct's Field Intelligence Office and the FBI/NYPD Metro Safe Streets Task Force.