Former Bank of the West Employee Pleads Guilty to Federal Embezzlement Charges

ALBUQUERQUE – Angela Giddings, 38, of Albuquerque, N.M., pled guilty today to one count of embezzlement by a bank employee and embezzlement from Indian tribal organizations.  Under the terms of her plea agreement she will serve 24 months in federal prison as well as a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.

Giddings was indicted on Dec. 16, 2014, and charged with 12 counts of embezzlement by a bank employee; six counts of embezzlement from Indian tribal organizations; and four counts of aggravated identity theft.  The indictment alleges that Giddings committed these crimes in Bernalillo County, N.M., between Feb. 2, 2013, and July 18, 2014.  At the time, Giddings was employed as a customer service manager for Bank of the West.

According to the indictment, Giddings embezzled funds entrusted to the bank by withdrawing and transferring funds from the accounts of customers without authorization and for her own use.  The indictment alleges that Giddings’ allegedly unlawful withdraws and transfers ranged from $15,000.00 to $60,000.00.  It also alleges that the victims of Giddings’ criminal conduct included the To’hajilee Community School Board and the Cañoncito Band of Navajos.  The aggravated identity theft charges allege that Giddings used the names, addresses, and personal identifiers of individuals to commit felony offenses.

During today’s proceedings, Giddings pled guilty to one count of embezzlement by a bank employee and one count of embezzlement from an Indian tribal organization.  In entering the guilty plea, Giddings admitted that between Jan. 9, 2012 and July 18, 2014, she misapplied and embezzled money by making unauthorized withdrawals and transfers for her own benefit.  She further admitted that on July 18, 2014, she transferred $55,000.00 from a private individual’s account and $60,000.00 from the To’hajilee Community School Board account without authorization and for her own purposes with the intent to defraud.          

This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI and the Office of Inspector General of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Peña.