Nebraska Woman Sentenced for Bank Theft

United States Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced that on January 11, 2016, Chief United States District Court Judge Laurie Smith Camp sentenced Margaret Cherovsky of Wahoo, Nebraska, age 65, to a term of time served and a five (5) year term of supervised release, following her conviction for theft by a bank employee.  

Between 1969 and 2014 Cherovsky was an employee of FirstBank of Nebraska, Wahoo branch, within the District of Nebraska.  In April, 2014, Cherovsky reported to FirstBank of Nebraska representatives that she had taken cash from FirstBank of Nebraska over the last 20 years.  A cash count by a bank employee revealed a shortfall of $323,036.00.  Cherovsky immediately repaid $323,036.00 to FirstBank of Nebraska after admitting that she had improperly taken the money.

An investigation revealed that the cash shortfall was the result of Cherovsky depositing "mutilated currency" received by the bank into bank accounts managed or owned by Cherovsky.  Cherovsky falsified bank records to conceal the theft.  Cherovsky admitted she did not take money from the vault every day but did it "sporadically" to ensure it wasn't discovered.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.