William J. Edwards, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, announced that a one count Information was filed today charging Joseph M. Gould, age 29, of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, with one count of bank fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud Charter One Bank, causing losses to Charter One Bank in the approximate amount of $207,369.16.

The Information charges that between April 2008, and September 2008, Joseph M. Gould, then employed as the Manager of the Montrose Branch of Charter One Bank, executed and attempted to execute a scheme and artifice to defraud Charter One Bank, and to obtain money, funds and credits under the custody and control of Charter One Bank by means of false and fraudulent pretenses, representations and promises.

Specifically, the Information charges that Gould made at least 11 unauthorized withdrawals from the accounts of two Charter One customers totaling $207,369.16, without the knowledge of consent of the customers. The Information charges that Gould made withdrawals from the customers’ accounts in the form of cash and Charter One official bank checks, most of which Gould deposited into bank accounts that he maintained at other financial institutions.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert W. Kern of the Cleveland U.S. Attorney’s Office, following an investigation by the Akron Office of the U.S. Secret Service.

An Information is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.