Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MICHELLE LAUDATO, 36, of Farmington, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release for stealing money from CD accounts at a bank where she was employed.

According to court documents and statements made in court, between July 2009 and June 2010, LAUDATO used her position as a teller supervisor at a branch of Webster Bank in Bristol to steal a total of $178,710.89 from the CD accounts of at least 18 bank customers. Thirteen of the 18 bank customers were between the ages of 79 and 99.

As part of the scheme, LAUDATO sometimes withdrew funds from certain CD accounts to replace funds in the CD accounts she had previously accessed. She also withdrew funds in increments of $10,000 or less to avoid currency transaction reporting requirements.

LAUDATO was ordered to pay full restitution to Webster Bank. In addition, Judge Thompson ordered LAUDATO to perform 100 hours of community service during her term of supervised release, in activities that specifically benefit the elderly.

On June 18, 2013, LAUDATO pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud.

LAUDATO, who recently gave birth to a child, was ordered to report to prison on February 25, 2015. This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Felice M. Duffy.