United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

BANK BRANCH MANAGER SENTENCED TO 33 MONTHS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR STEALING $516,000 FROM CD ACCOUNTS

Nora R. Dannehy, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that PATRICIA ARIANO, 60, of Strobel Road, Trumbull, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to 33 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for stealing more than $500,000 from CD accounts while employed as a bank branch manager.  On April 2, 2009, ARIANO pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud.

According to documents filed with the Court and statements made in court, ARIANO was employed as branch manager of the Webster Bank branch location at 2 Daniels Farm Road in Trumbull.  In that capacity, ARIANO had access to information pertaining to the records and accounts of customers who maintained certificate of deposits (“CDs”) at that branch location.  Between approximately February 2006 and March 2007, ARIANO processed fraudulent documentation purporting to reflect that certain customers maintaining CDs at the branch location were requesting withdrawal of the funds maintained in those CDs.   Some of these accounts were considered dormant, and/or were held by individuals who were deceased.  ARIANO then withdrew funds maintained in seven separate CD accounts and converted that money to her own benefit.

Through this scheme, Webster Bank was defrauded of approximately $516,000.  Today, Judge Arterton ordered ARIANO to pay restitution of that amount to Webster Bank.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov