Former Bank Officer Pleads Guilty To Embezzlement

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Edward L. Jenkinson (47, Trinity) has pleaded guilty to misappropriation of bank funds and embezzlement. Jenkinson faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. Jenkinson has also agreed to forfeit to the United States $122,004.04, the proceeds of his criminal activity. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement and court proceedings, Jenkinson was employed as a bank officer at Bank 1, an FDIC insured institution that was a member bank of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta. As a bank officer, Jenkinson was responsible for managing a Bank 1 financial center located in Tampa. One of Jenkinson’s duties was to oversee the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) and teller cash drawers at the financial center.

Between March and November 2024, Jenkinson embezzled FDIC-insured funds. As part of his embezzlement scheme, Jenkinson redeemed certificates of deposit without the customers’ knowledge or consent. He then prepared deposit tickets and deposited the redeemed funds in customer checking accounts. Subsequently, Jenkinson embezzled the funds from the victim customers’ accounts and drafted cashiers’ checks payable to himself, which he deposited into his own bank accounts. Jenkinson depleted most of the embezzled funds through cash withdrawals.  He also embezzled $52,000 from the ATM machine at the Bank 1 financial center he managed in Tampa, as well as $2,500 from a bank teller drawer. Jenkinson spent the embezzled funds on gambling, paying off debt, and retail purchases.

This case was investigated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.