A Centura bank manager was arresetd on suspicion of defrauding an 86-year old man out of $82,000 from his bank account. Milton Hagelberger helped the old man set up his checkbook, then set up a second account under the old man’s name and made himself an ATM card. The manager had the account statements mailed to an empty lot across the street from the bank so the man wouldn’t see the missing money. The victim only found out about the fraud after he tried to cash a check and found he had insufficient funds. We’re often worried about outside identity thieves stealing our moneys over the internet, but sometimes identity theft happens in the flesh, right in front of our face.
Bank Manager Fleeces Elderly Man [The Tampa Tribune] (Thanks to ForgottenPassword!)
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Sick, just plain sick. At least in this situation the bank would return the customers money so I think that is a positive. The bank is liable after all.
Hey at least this guy wont have to worry about room and board for a while, plus he will get free sex while he is cooling his heels in jail.
I’m assuming when you say “so the man would see the missing money” you really mean so the man wouldn’t see the missing money?
@LEVENHOPPER
Beat me to it.
If you have ever wondered why older people keep there money in their mattresses, this is why.. That douche bag is giving the rest of us bankers a bad name..
Hmm, strange. Most of the “conned an old person out of their money” seem to involve a woman as the “victim”.
If the criminal is part of the system that is supposed to PROTECT you and your money then I think the penalty should be doubled.
Yay! My tip got used! I feel important now in my sad little existance!
You know i did some reading up on safe deposit boxes at banks & found a lot of comments on how they arent all that secure (from bank employees). Decided not to get one.
@SarcasticDwarf: sory but elderly men are just as much victiums as elderly woman, its easy to nderstand why because middle aged and young people are scam victiums as well.
people are easily duped because they believe what people tell them and dont think.
This guy was robbed not conned. He didnt buy anything he went to a brick and mortor bank to open an account and the guy stole the money out of his account.
Man, just really shameful indeed.
@shadow735: True, this is more of a robbery than a scam. But the fact is that most of the stories I have run across for cons involving the elderly have women as the victim. The reasons for that are certainly debatable.
But I am surprised that the employee even tried this. It would have to come back to him eventually.
@axiomatic: Don’t worry…it is tripled or more. Thank god for the Bank Secrecy Act, the FTC, etc.
The one benefit of finding out the criminal was a bank manager is that the victim can hold the bank responsible and can sue them to recover his funds, if necessary.
@SarcasticDwarf: fact is most people that commit crimes like this are not very bright when it comes to planning and thinking things out, and that is a good thing for the cops. I fell happy for the old guy he will get his cash back and be more wary as well.
If it was a scam he would be outta luck.
Wait, he had the statements delivered to an empty lot? Did the mail man just drop the statements in the field, or were they rejected and sent back to the bank?
@B: Good question….
I’m glad they caught this guy, I hope he gets his ass nailed to the wall.
It’s clear that the old man was at fault for not using a credit union.
Stories like these prove the Consumerist needs a “Loser” tag.
I am willing to bet the bank won’t pay a dime. It is not the fault of the bank but the loser who stole the money they will claim…
The bank is not going to pay without putting up a serious fight first…
@Trick: He was acting on the bank’s behalf, therefore his employer was responsible for his actions. Oh, they’ll pay. I think the government would have something to say if they don’t. The man didn’t authorize those withdrawals; the bank removed the money on its own. They’ll be paying in full and paying some hefty punitive damages for failing to protect customers’ assets.
@Buran: not to nitpick, but most likely the bank’s bond company will pay. it’s still pretty standard practice for banks to bond their managers.
i don’t know that there will be punitive damages, though when this guy gets out of jail in 6 months he’ll be paying restitution which may include some penalties.
oh, & incidentally, “owning mahoney” is one of the best movies ever.
I hope a whole cell block of prisoners make that bank manager their bitch.