NJ bank teller embezzled $600K from customers

CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) — Federal prosecutors said a bank teller has admitted she embezzled more than $600,000 from dormant customer accounts.

Prosecutors said Telisha Trent pleaded guilty Tuesday to bank fraud and money laundering charges. The 43-year-old Williamstown resident faces up to 40 years in prison when she's sentenced Nov. 7.

Prosecutors said Trent was working for TD Bank when the thefts occurred between August 2014 and September 2015. They said she used her position at the bank's Sewell branch to identify dormant checking and savings accounts, primarily held by elderly customers.

Trent would research the account holder in order to assess the risk of whether that person would notice that funds were missing. She would steal the money in the dormant accounts by transferring the funds to accounts she controlled or have a cashier's check issued in her name.

Trent then transferred the funds through a series of accounts that she controlled in order to hide her fraud and closed the dormant accounts to avoid detection.

Trent admitted obtaining $608,000 in cash from eight bank customers in New Jersey, Connecticut, and Ohio. She spent the money on home renovations, lavish trips, two luxury cars and items for her children.

After the fraud was discovered, TD Bank reimbursed the victims for the money stolen by Trent.