Former Bank Vice President Convicted of Embezzling Money from Local Bank

BOSTON – A former vice president at the former Lenox National Bank pleaded guilty on Friday, July 29, 2016, in U.S. District Court in Springfield in connection with embezzling more than $150,000 from the bank and attempting to conceal the theft.    

Joseph E. Leskovitz, 56, of Lenox, Mass., pleaded guilty to three counts of embezzlement of bank funds and one count of money laundering.  U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Nov. 15, 2016.
 
Between approximately 2009 and February 2014, Leskovitz was the vice president of the Lenox National Bank, which was acquired in 2015 by Adams Community Bank.  Leskovitz stole money from certificates of deposits he was entrusted to manage for family members and clients.  In addition, Leskovitz opened a loan in the name of a family member without the family member’s knowledge and stole the loan proceeds.

The charge of embezzlement provides for a sentence of no greater than 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater.  The charge of money laundering provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen L. Goodwin of Ortiz’s Springfield Branch Office.