A Mt. Pleasant, Michigan resident pleaded guilty to embezzlement and filing false tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service, United States Attorney Barbara L. McQuade announced today.

United States Attorney McQuade was joined in the announcement by Jarod J. Koopman, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division and Special Agent in Charge Paul Abbate, Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On April 8, 2015, Kimberly Misky entered her guilty plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patricia L. Morris.

According to court records, Misky was the branch manager of Citizens Bank in Alpena, Michigan. In her role as manager, Misky managed other bank employees, opened new accounts, renewed certificates of deposit and generated sales.

Beginning in April 2010 and continuing through July 2011, Misky used her positions as branch manager and personal banker to open Citizens Bank accounts that she controlled, in the names of fictitious individuals. She then accessed the certificates of deposit account of elderly and deceased Citizens Bank customers and transferred the funds from those accounts to the accounts she controlled. Later, Misky transferred the funds from the accounts in the fictitious names to an account at another financial institution that was in her name and her daughter’s name. Overall, Misky embezzled approximately $86,489 in 2010 and $222,983 in 2011.

“The public has every right to expect that the employees of the banks that they entrust their money with will be honest and law abiding. Ms. Misky violated this trust for her own financial gain and is now facing serious criminal sanctions as a result of her actions,” said Special Agent in Charge Jarod J. Koopman.

Embezzlement carries a maximum penalty of 30 years’ imprisonment and/or a fine of $1,000,000. Filing a false tax return carries a maximum penalty of three years’ imprisonment and/or a fine of $250,000. The case was investigated by special agents of the IRS Criminal Investigation, FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Libby Kelly Dill.