Washington, D.C. – Gwendolyn Johnson, 27, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced yesterday before the Honorable Paul L. Friedman of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a period of 36 months of probation following her earlier guilty plea on August 6, 2008, to one count of misdemeanor bank embezzlement, U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Taylor and Jeffrey Irvine, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service, announced today. Johnson will also be required to pay restitution in the amount of $11,411.14.

According to the Statement of Offense filed with the Court by the government, in or about October 2006, the defendant, Gwendolyn Johnson, was hired as a teller employed to work at Citibank at its Dupont Circle Branch in the District of Columbia, located at 1225 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. Citibank’s deposits were insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. As part of the defendant’s duties and responsibilities, she maintained a cash drawer from which she would cash checks, make deposits, and similar transactions with citizens, customers and businesses which have accounts at Citibank. One of the defendant’s duties was to accept deposits from Citibank customers in person and by mail, and to place the funds into accounts as designated by Citibank customers.

Beginning in or about June of 2007 through and up to November 10, 2007, the defendant created and executed a scheme to embezzle and misapply money and funds entrusted in the care of Citibank by its customers, by taking checks and money being deposited by Citibank customers and diverting the funds into her personal accounts at Citibank and M&T bank, whereupon the defendant would make personal use of the funds without the knowledge, permission, or authority of Citibank and its customers. The defendant thereby caused approximately $11,411.14 in funds entrusted by Citibank customers to Citibank to be diverted intentionally, knowingly and without authority into the defendant’s accounts where she would make her own use of the money.

On or about June 15, 2007, a commercial account holder dropped off for deposit $6,621.95 into its account at Citibank. Instead of processing the funds and depositing the money into the customer’s account, the defendant diverted the $6,621.95 for her personal use. On or about August 20, 2007, a commercial account holder dropped off for deposit $16,175.33 for deposit into its account at Citibank. Instead of processing the funds and depositing the money into the customer’s account, the defendant removed approximately $486.60 in cash funds and deposited $770.00 in cash into her Citibank account from her cash window. On or about September 4, 2007, a customer mailed a check to Citibank with instructions that it be deposited into his account. The defendant diverted the funds and instead deposited $302.59 into her Citibank account. On or about September 4, 2007, September 7, 2007, and October 1, 2007, a customer mailed three checks in the amount of $1,000, $2,000, and $1,000, respectively, to Citibank with instructions that each check be deposited into his account. The defendant diverted the funds and instead deposited the two $1,000 checks into her Citibank account. She cashed the $2,000 check and deposited the cash into her M&T bank account.

On or about October 17, 2007, a customer contacted Citibank managers about a missing deposit. Citibank managers commenced an investigation, during which time they noticed discrepancies in the defendant’s drawer and upon a more detailed review of the defendant’s teller activities, further noticed that she had deposited customers’ bank funds into her own accounts. At that time the defendant was terminated from Citibank.

On or about March 8, 2008, the defendant was interviewed by representatives of the United States government. At that time, the defendant acknowledged and admitted that while she was employed as a teller at Citibank that she had embezzled and otherwise stolen several thousands of dollars from Citibank by diverting customer deposits of funds from their accounts and placed the funds into her Citibank account and her M&T bank account. Although she knew she had stolen money from Citibank she was unsure of the amount she had stolen utilizing her position as bank teller.

In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Taylor and U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Irvine commended the investigative work of U.S. Secret Service Special Agent Brandee Gound. He also praised the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Karla-Dee Clark and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Alexis who prosecuted this case.