A former bank teller from Saugus has admitted to embezzling over $180,000 from a Boston bank branch, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced yesterday. Derek Aut, 28, entered a guilty plea for bank embezzlement and aggravated identity theft in federal court. His sentencing, as set by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young, is scheduled for June 16.
Details from the U.S. Attorney's Office reveal that while Aut was employed as a teller at the Boston branch he forged withdrawal slips and, executed unauthorized transactions to funnel customer funds into his possession. Upon discovering the missing funds, one of the victims reported the discrepancy leading to Aut's fraudulent attempts to rectify the imbalance by pilfering from another customer's account.
Under the weight of these charges, Aut faces a potential 30-year maximum prison sentence for the embezzlement charge and an additional mandatory two-year term for aggravated identity theft. These sentences will be determined according to the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Costs for his crime might also include five years of supervised release and fines that could soar up to $1 million.
The case was brought to light by United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge in New England. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney from the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit spearheads the prosecution of Aut's case. With his guilty plea, Aut's day of reckoning comes amidst a collective sigh – the sounds of justice grinding forward.
