Gainesville Bank Teller Sentenced to 46 Months for Embezzlement

GAINESVILLE, FL—Thomas F. Kirwin, the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced today that former bank teller, Letica Risby, 30, of Gainesville, was sentenced earlier this week to 46 months in federal prison for embezzling funds from Wachovia Bank.

Evidence introduced at Risby’s November 2009, jury trial established that between 2003 and 2008, Risby worked as a vault custodian at Wachovia Bank, now owned by Wells Fargo, where she used her position to embezzle $708,197 from the bank. To date, this is the largest embezzlement by a teller in Wachovia and Wells Fargo history.

Risby was also ordered to serve a term of five years’ supervised release upon her release from custody and was ordered to pay $708,197 in restitution.

Mr. Kirwin praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Gainesville Police Department, whose joint investigation led to Risby’s conviction and sentence.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brett Meltzer.